Shooting stars failed to deliver

THE irony of Stockport County's decision to perk up their pre-match entertainment with a cheerleading troupe called the Shooting Stars won't have been lost on anyone at sun-baked Edgeley Park on Saturday.

How this game cried out for one of the footballing variety as a goal for either side looked about as likely as a Doncaster Rovers home win!

Pretty it wasn't - and a majority of the shirt-sleeved spectators who witnessed the forgettable derby stalemate must have wished they had stayed in their back gardens with the barbecue sets.

To be fair the tropical weather wasn't really condusive to soccer, especially the 'up and at 'em' style favoured by the Shakers, and despite this off-day Stan Ternent's men will be happy to remain unbeaten after facing three of their First Division compatriots in the opening week of the campaign.

That they avoided defeat on Saturday was down to a typical gutsy all-for-one team performance that's become the trademark of the team.

Sterling defensive work from Chris Lucketti and Paul Butler, who were joined by Peter Swan in the second half, effectively shackled County's much-vaunted strikeforce of Brett Angell and Alun Armstrong and on the odd occasion they did break through they had a certain Dean Kiely to contend with.

The Shakers' custodian was at the top of his form and pulled of a handful of vital saves to earn the Gigg Lane men a point that sees them lording it over both Manchester City and County in the First Division table.

Though two games into the season is far too early to talk about the division's Greater Manchester bragging rights County boss Gary Megson firmly believes the Shakers are going to be a tough nut to crack.

"They're the biggest team I've ever seen and I can see them getting an awful lot of clean sheets this year," he exclaimed in the after match press conference.

"They play the game direct and very tough with an emphasis on fitness and running and if you don't match them physically they will trample all over you - it's a credit to our lads that we didn't allow them to."

As manager of Blackpool last season Megson masterminded the Shakers' last league defeat back in April but there was to be no repeat performance on Saturday.

His side's best chance to break the deadlock arrived as early as the tenth minute when, following a neat one-two with Alun Armstrong, the influential Chris Marsden fired a stinging drive against the base of the post with Kiely beaten.

The Shakers' 'keeper had to be on his mettle again seconds later to claw away an Angell header bound for the bottom corner.

Bury's most threatening moments in the early stages came from a couple of Nick Daws' prodigious throw-ins and with little being carved out in open play it was their aerial strength at set pieces that proved the threat to the home side.

In first half injury time another move from the training ground gave the Shakers their clearest chance of the half and might have sent them in a goal up at the break. A Gordon Armstrong free-kick close to the half way line was met by Chris Lucketti who headed into the box where Tony Battersby, arriving late, could only scoop the ball over the bar from eight yards.

Four minutes from the restart Andy Gray should have converted after his namesake Ian in the County goal totally misjudged Daws' deep cross.

The classy midfielder's header sailed across the face of the goal and left the former England man to take his frustration out on an advertising hoarding!

Minutes later Gray, who enjoyed a game-long battle of wits with Chris Marsden, went close again when he stormed into the box only to fire powerfully over the bar.

Kiely again proved his worth with a full-length save from an Angell header then superbly blocked Kieran Durkan's angled effort with his legs when the former Wrexham man got free on the left.

The 'keeper, Bury's top performer on the day, was in philosophical mood after the game.

"We came here thinking we could get a result but as the game panned out it became apparent we weren't asking many questions attacking-wise and we got pushed further back," he explained.

"I'm disappointed because pound for pound from one to eleven I think we're capable of coming to Stockport and winning.

"But you've got to be positive, we've played under par and still come away with a clean sheet - that's the sign of a good side."

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