Shakers stretch home run

SUPERMAN is alive and well and living at Gigg Lane.

That's the opinion of Charlton Athletic striker Mark Bright who reckons his old pal Andy Gray might soon start appearing with a large 'S' emblazoned on his chest and with his underpants over his day clothes!

Injury forced former Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday ace Bright out of Saturday's game but he was an interested observer in the press box from where he was match summarising for the Addick's telephone line.

"I thought Andy was Bury's man of the match," reckoned Gray's one-time teammate and tennis partner. "He reads a game well, has retained his pace, has great balance and can tackle.

"He looked comfortable at the back and in midfield. I'm making him sound a bit like Superman but he played extremely well."

Bright, who confirmed that he would have joined the Shakers on loan last season had David Pleat let him come to Gigg Lane, was impressed by the home team's work rate and reckons they are a fair bet to maintain their First Division status beyond this first season in 29 years.

"I am pleased for Stan Ternent because he has done a fantastic job here," continued Bright. "The style of play is not pretty but it is effective and has brought great success. Anyone who comes here and underestimates this Bury side is in for a big shock.

"The home record is terrific and they will be a game for anyone at Gigg Lane. Although these are early days, I think they will stay up."

If Bright is to be proved correct, then the Shakers are going to have to defend as stoutly as they did on Saturday and start tucking away some of the many chances they are creating.

They were outplayed for much of the first period but gradually got the upperhand as boss Stan Ternent played a game of tactical chess with his side.

Robbed of strikers Rob Matthews (knee) and Tony Battersby (tonsillitis), Ternent was forced to switch to a 5-3-2 starting line up with Gray in midfield and Peter Swan starting his first game for the club at the back.

The formation lasted half an hour as Charlton threatened to stop the Shakers stretching their unbeaten home record to 27 league matches.

Main tormentor was England under 21 international Shaun Newton who twice carved out acres of space down the Bury left flank in the opening five minutes but later soured a fine performance by being sent-off for a late tackle on Gordon Armstrong.

Newton's first cross was headed behind by the retreating Lenny Johnrose and the second was despatched past the post by striker Steve Jones.

Those were worrying moments for the home supporters and their anxiety grew, markedly, midway through the half as Dean Kiely was called upon to make two outstanding saves. First Mark Kinsella sent the Bury keeper hurtling to his left to fist away a 20-yard blockbuster, then John Robinson sent Kiely full-length to his right to tip away another long range effort.

At that stage Ternent had seen enough and Gray was immediately dragged back into the heart of the defence and Swan set up front to add some weight and menace. The switch had the bonus of freeing Nick Daws and Lenny Johnrose to do their normal, tireless running routine in the middle without bumping into extra teammates.

Whether it was coincidental or not we shall never know, but from then on Charlton were second best.

Paul Butler, a summer target for the Addicks who offered Bury £500,000 for him, thought he'd opened the scoring in the 36th minute from another well-worked dead ball routine.

Dean West's corner was nodded back into the danger area by Chris Lucketti and Butler's looping header looked to have been caught behind the line by keeper Andy Petterson.

Referee Graham Frankland, for once, failed to blow his over-used whistle and the sides went in at half-time on level terms.

There was, apparently, more said in the referee's room than the dressing rooms at the break as both managers went in to voice their concern about the official's handling of the game.

Charlton were thought to be upset about some of Bury's tackling and Ternent was presumably peeved that the referee gave the visitors a free kick every time Ronnie Jepson went within a yard of the ball.

Whatever was said at the break it did Bury more good than the Londoners and the Shakers were soon in full control.

They ought to have broken the deadlock within 45 seconds of the restart when Swan connected with West's deflected free kick but directed the ball away from goal rather than into it.

Three minutes later, Gray's power and poise held off two Charlton challenges and his beautifully floated cross picked out Swan again whose header floated agonisingly over the bar.

Swan went close for a third time with a 53rd minute header from Daws' cross before Butler showed Charlton just why Bury said £500,000 wasn't enough.

The big defender threw himself in front of Stuart Balmer's piledriver to save an almost certain 56th minute goal.

Two minutes later Charlton's hopes of winning disappeared down the tunnel with young Newton whose reckless challenge on Armstrong in front of a far from pleased South Stand led to a red card.

The depleted visitors immediately withdrew their striker Robinson into a sweeping role and decided to settle for a point.

It was a plan that would have backfired had it not been for Petterson who pulled off a remarkable save at the foot of his post after Jepson's head had redirected Gordon Armstrong's teasing centre.

The same Bury combination went close again in the 77th minute when Jepson this time managed to curl his header beyond Petterson but just the wrong side of the far post.

David Johnson's injury time snap shot that flew inches wide proved the Shakers' last hurrah leaving them still searching for that elusive first win in the First Division but, just as importantly, still unbeaten for the season.

Charlton, meanwhile, were left to reflect on three bookings and a sending off which made rather a nonsense of complaints that Bury were in any way over-physical.

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