BRADFORD CITY 1 - BURY 0
BRADFORD City may have to consider changing the name of their ground to the Punch Stadium after amazing scenes in the dying seconds of Saturday's game at Valley Parade!
A sensational stoppage time free-for-all (see other story) involving players and officials of both clubs is to be reported to the FA by referee Graham Frankland.
The bust-up resulted in Bury striker Peter Swan and City's Brazilian substitute Edinho getting their marching orders and rounded off a truly miserable day for the Shakers who slipped into a third-from-bottom relegation place for the first time this season.
And to add insult to injury the winning goal was scored by none other than 'Public Enemy Number One' in the eyes of many Bury fans who made the trip to Yorkshire's curry capital - a certain John McGinlay!
The former Shaker and Bolton Wanderers striker silenced the boo-boys in the 25th minute to bag his second goal since his £625,000 transfer to City early last month.
And it was a case of 'the biter bit' as set-piece kings Bury succumbed to one from the Bantams.
Peter Beagrie's right wing corner was headed on by former Everton ace Eddie Youds and master predator McGinlay, completely unmarked at the far post, volleyed home through a forest of legs.
It was a goal that was threatening to come as, in the early stages, City repeatedly caused the Shakers problems down both flanks.
Man-of-the-match Beagrie tormented Andy Woodward on the left while on the opposite wing right-back Chris Wilder and Jamie Lawrence combined well to carve out several useful openings.
Indeed, the full-back had three good scoring chances in the first half the best of them an acrobatic scissor kick that Dean Kiely was happy to see sail past the post.
After McGinlay's goal Bradford might have added to their tally with Youds, Beagrie and the impressive Wilder all seeing efforts go close. For the Shakers debutant Tony Ellis looked the man most likely to carve out an opening
But the former Blackpool man, who showed some neat touches in a useful first performance, was up against two uncompromising customers in Darren Moore and Youds.
Nevertheless he may have notched a debut goal when a neat ball by Andy Gray sprung the City offside trap to send him clear but he fired into the arms of former Manchester United 'keeper Gary Walsh.
Early in the second period Kiely had to perform heroics to keep out a Rob Steiner shot from point blank range after Beagrie's cross found him unmarked in front of goal.
Shortly afterwards McGinlay was thwarted by the brave Bury 'keeper when Lawrence sent the Scotsman in on a one-on-one.
As the half wore on the battling Shakers began to warm to their task and the home side were set problems of their own.
A rasping 20-yard snap shot from Ellis hit the side-netting of Walsh's goal and substitute Jason Peake should have done better with a first time effort after Gray's teasing cross was only half cleared.
Paul Dalglish replaced Peake midway through the half as Stan Ternent's men went all out for an equaliser.
McGinlay and Beagrie were far less effective in the second period so Ternent's City counterpart Chris Kamara brought Edinho and Craig Ramage into the fray.
As the Shakers pushed forward the inevitable gaps appeared at the back.
In the final ten minutes Ramage raced clear down the left and fired wide with Edinho screaming for the ball in the middle and Gray blocked a powerful effort from the Brazilian before a timely tackle from substitute Adrian Randall foiled Ramage as City threatened to double their tally.
But with time almost up on the clock Edinho's theatrical reaction to a fair challenge from Ellis started a sequence of events that looks likely to have serious repercussions for both clubs.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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