NEW SHIRTS. . . new Bury!

If political parties can change their persona, why not football clubs?

It may have been a coincidence that the Shakers were wearing the freshly designed home shirts for the first time, but gone were the suicidal tendencies of the last month and in their place a vibrant, uplifting performance of the highest class.

So enthralling was Bury's first half display that the side were afforded a standing ovation as they left for their refreshing cuppa.

The sour taste caused by a run of four successive defeats had been wafted away by the sweet smell of success.

Boss Stan Ternent had stood by the side that lost at Swindon and how his bravehearts rewarded him for his faith.

David Johnson shrugged off speculation about his Gigg Lane future by giving former mentor Steve Bruce a torrid afternoon, Peter Swan and Tony Battersby won everything in the air up front and Chris Lucketti and Peter Butler did likewise at the back.

They all performed with great gusto and no little courage but it was in the engine room where the unsung stars were to be found.

Ian Hughes, who has been telling everyone who will listen that he feels his best position is central midfield, proved it with his feet as he hustled, bustled and finally broke the spirit of Chris Marsden, City's £500,000 signing from Stockport.

And he had a willing ally in Lennie Johnrose who bounced back to form with the kind of snapping tackles and dedicated hard running that completely overshadowed the man he marked, Jon McCarthy, who cost a cool £1.5 million.

It is a sobering thought - if you are a Birmingham fan - that Hughes and Johnrose combined set Bury back £1,970,000 less than their completely outplayed counterparts, a fact that ought to have Birmingham's benefactor David Sullivan chewing his cheque book in frustration.

Indeed, it was an irritating day all around for the big city visitors who arrived at Gigg Lane ready to slug it out with the Shakers.

It is to Birmingham's credit that they settled on a plan of attack although that is always a dangerous thing to do at Gigg Lane where Bury have now lost only once in 30 league outings. Martin Grainger and Paul Devlin brought early saves out of Dean Kiely but it was the Shakers who carried the bigger threat with Battersby and Swan finding veteran defenders Bruce and Gary Ablett agreeable opposition.

Bury midfielder Andy Gray, having shrugged off the effects of flu, was on the end of two early flick ons but dragged one shot across goal and was then left vainly appealing for a penalty when sent tumbling to earth by Martin O'Connor.

The Shakers' former England man smiled as he picked himself up . . . perhaps he had an inkling of how the contest would pan out.

Gray was back in the centre of the action in the 20th minute when he took a free-kick from close to the half way line. Butler was the intended target and he had to move all of two inches to the pinpoint pass before nodding the ball across goal for Johnson to steal in and direct his header inside the far post. Birmingham keeper Ian Bennett got his fingers to the ball but could only help it into the net, much to the disgust of his manager Trevor Francis who later said he felt his custodian should have done better.

Hughes and Peter Ndlovu swapped shots at goal before, seven minutes later, Bury struck again.

Gray was again the provider, this time with a the most exquisite of crosses with the outside of his right foot. The pass was a defining moment in the game and Swan did it full justice as he towered over Ndlovu and powered his header into the roof of the net.

What followed made horrible viewing for City fans as skipper Bruce and left back Grainger indulged in heir own inquest over the goal. They first shoved each other then took part in a prolonged verbal and finger wagging argument.

Their combined tempers might have been assuaged quickly had the disappointing Devlin not shot so weakly after Butler and Kiely got in a mix up but City were eventually fortunate not to go in a half-time more than two behind as Bennett produced a miraculous save to keep out Battersby's 42nd minute header.

The Blues' boss must have had a lot to say at the break because his team were late reappearing for the second half. His words made little difference as City never looked like getting back into the contest.

Johnson volleyed wide in the 52nd minute after Battersby's pass had sprung the off-side trap and Francis had seen enough by the 55th minute when he gambled on a double substitution, bringing on Kevin Francis and Michael Johnson for Hey and Ablett.

The giant Francis, once of Stockport, announced his arrival by unceremoniously flattening Chris Lucketti, and then Grainger was booked for a trip on Battersby as City tried to muscle their way back into the match. McCarthy drilled a shot wide after at last finding some space and then Marsden was booked after trying to pull back Johnson as he sped down the right flank.

Butler went close to conceding an own goal when he deflected Devlin's 78th minute cross wide of the post but it was a bit of an injustice to the Shakers' defence when they were finally breached in injury time.

Grainger was the man who put Brum on the board with a delicious 20-yard free kick up and around the home wall but there was barely time to restart before the Shakers were celebrating a well-earned and much-needed victory.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.