BURY 1, SUNDERLAND 1

DON'T mention entente cordiale around Bury for the next few weeks.

Anything French is likely to inflame local passions beyond boiling point after our Gallic neighbours wrought such weekend misery on the town.

Across Manchester, the beanpole frame of European flyweight champion David Guerault cut down Bury's Ady Lewis, while at Gigg Lane a rather more flamboyant Frenchman, Lionel Perez, single handedly denied the Shakers a memorable victory.

Cult hero Perez is rumoured to want away back to his native land and it is just a pity he didn't head for home before Saturday's game.

If the Wearside whispers are correct, Newcastle's Pavel Srnicek is lined up to take the place of Perez. He will find the unorthodox Frenchman a hard act to follow.

Perez's best efforts came in the 28th and 81st minutes. On the first occasion he flew high to his left to help Ronnie Jepson's blistering drive over the bar and on the second proved he was ambidextrous by spiralling up to his right to paw away a Chris Lucketti header that looked to have beaten him all ends up.

That second save earned the Sunderland keeper a measure of revenge over Lucketti who had beaten him with a ninth minute volley of such ferocity that it stunned even the scorer.

"The ball fell nicely from Gordon Armstrong's corner and I just hit it," was captain fantastic Lucketti's simple explanation of a wonder goal. "When it flew into the net I stood and stared for a few seconds because I couldn't believe it. I am not known for scoring twenty yarders, especially with my left foot!"

"It was probably the best goal I have ever scored and I am already claiming it as goal of the season! The manager has been encouraging the lads at the back to get forward more and to be honest, I have been a little bit disappointed with my scoring record. At least that one was worth the wait."

Lucketti echoed the view from the terraces when he said he felt it had been one of the best games at Gigg Lane this season.

"The atmosphere was electric and it was a great battle between two committed sides," he reckoned. "Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips are a difficult strike force to play against because they offer differing styles and physiques but it is great to put yourself against players of Quinn's calibre, he has played all over the world at the highest level but we handled him well.

"In fact I thought we finished the stronger side and could have won it. I couldn't believe Perez saved that header because it looked as if it had got past him and then Summerbee saved off the line when Stretch (Gordon Armstrong) looked as though he would score. Reluctant hero Lucketti handed much of the praise to the 'other Chris' Swailes who, on his home debut, slotted in well in a back three with Lucketti and Paul Butler.

"He looks as though he has been playing at Bury for years," praised the Bury skipper. "He has settled in really well."

The three man back line was part of Bury boss Stan Ternent's masterplan to cancel out Peter Reid's familiar 4-4-2 formation. Ternent packed the midfield with regular engine room stokers Nick Daws and Lenny Johnrose joined by Adrian Randall, Armstrong and for most of the time Ronnie Jepson.

It was a ploy that worked well for Sunderland never held the whip hand like they had in the recent Coca-Cola Cup ties between the two sides.

Even so, the Wearsiders' pace on the break and quick one touch passing brought them early chances. Quinn lashed a shot well wide of the target in only the second minute and Dean Kiely had to scramble quickly back under his bar to save Phillip's third minute header.

Lucketti then produced a spectacular tackle to deny a dithering Nicky Summerbee and the tide turned.

Sunderland skipper Lee Clark was booked for a trip on a lively looking Randall and then Lucketti silenced the 3,100 visiting fans with his second goal of the season.

The visitors had to reshuffle when they lost central defender Darren Williams with a cut head but they levelled in the 32nd minute when Michael Gray raced to the by-line from where he pulled back the perfect pass for Phillips.

The former Watford man looked to have mishit the shot but it crawled beyond the despairing dive of Kiely who got a touch and might have been a shade unlucky not to keep it out.

After the break, Quinn might have done better with a 47th minute chance that he hit straight at Kiely and Phillips scooped a chance over the bar after the superb Clark had worked an opening.

Bury, though, were not overawed and back they came through Randall who placed a perfect cross on Peter Swan's head only to see his effort fly narrowly wide.

Phillips and Quinn then both brought smart, efficient stops out of Kiely before Bury introduced on-loan Paul Dalglish for Battersby and then dominated the rest of the match.

Dalglish, the target of much predictable abuse form Sunderland fans wishing to have ago at his dad, Kenny, almost thrust the jibes back down the throats of the Wearsiders with his first touch. The 20-year-old reacted quickest to Nick Daws' long throw and his volley scraped the post on its way out for a goalkick.

Swailes then almost made it two goals in two games put was thwarted by Perez and such was Bury's determination to win the game that they suddenly left gaps at the back.

Sunderland had a 4-3 advantage on the break in the 76th minute but Kiely rescued the situation with a save at his near post from Quinn's header and the bombardment of Perez resumed unabated.

Lucketti thought he'd won it with his header from Daws' 81st minute cross but Perez got to it with his 'wrong' hand and two minutes later Summerbee performed goal-line heroics after a delightful interchange between Daws, Dalglish and Woodward seemed to have opened the way for Armstrong to clinch the points against his old club.

"We thought we shaded the last twenty minutes or so," reckoned Lucketti. "This is the fittest bunch of players I have ever worked with and I think it showed near the end. We were getting better and better as the match wore on, it was a pity it had to end."

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