IPSWICH TOWN 2 BURY 0

A HARROWING final eleven minutes robbed battling Bury of the precious point they more than deserved from their visit to Portman Road on Saturday (Oct 25).

It all turned sour for the Shakers in the 79th minute when Mick Stockwell crossed from the right and Ian Hughes, already booked for a 74th minute foul on Simon Milton, was controversially adjudged to have pushed Matt Holland as they challenged for the ball in the penalty area.

Mr D'Urso pointed to the spot, a decision that incensed everyone connected with the Shakers, and none more so than Hughes who was booked for bad language.

Before the spot kick could be taken Andy Gray was also shown the yellow card for dissent, then birthday boy Adam Tanner cracked the penalty into the roof of the net past a luckless Dean Kiely.

And as if that wasn't bad enough there was worse to follow for Stan Ternent's ten men.

For in the 86th minute substitute Neil Gregory pulled the ball back for Jason Dozzell to sidefoot into the roof of the net from close range.

Two minutes from the whistle Gray's challenge on Argentinian Mauricio Taricco earned him a second booking in the eyes of Mr D'Urso and the ten men became nine!

It was justice of the roughest kind for the Shakers who had contained Ipswich so effectively and comfortably throughout the game and looked well capable of doing what neither Manchester clubs have managed in recent weeks - leave Portman Road undefeated! Indeed such was their control that the home side were roundly booed off the pitch at half time.

Bury's best chance came after 64 minutes when Jason Peake, making his full debut following his free transfer from Brighton, produced a long throw from the left, Chris Lucketti headed down and Tony Battersby was left with only Richard Wright to beat but the England Under-21 keeper made a reflex save.

Both sides had first half penalty appeals turned down. In the ninth minute Dutchman Bobby Petta cut in from the left and fell as Lucketti challenged.

The referee was equally unimpressed at the other end when Gray took a tumble after a 14th minute Tanner tackle.

Otherwise defences were in command and there was very little in the way of excitement. Gray dominated the midfield for the Shakers before the interval while the impressive Lucketti and Paul Butler gave the Ipswich strikeforce little scope.

David Johnson worked hard up front for Bury but the Shakers certainly missed the powerful Peter Swan who was ruled out of this one by a groin injury.

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