Bury 0 Lincoln City 1: SO much for the flying start to Bury's season!

Unfortunately Graham Barrow's men got sucked into playing the same tactics as an ultra-direct and physical Lincoln City side on Saturday and paid the ultimate price.

City arrived at Gigg Lane on the back of four successive defeats but their uncompromising tactics won the day.

Yet it was a match the Shakers dominated for long periods, especially in a one-sided second half, and the corner count of 14 to one in the Gigg Lane men's favour told its own story.

But so too did the final scoreline as during that 45 minutes Lincoln keeper Alan Marriott did not have a shot to save.

It could have been all so different had Dave Nugent stuck away a glorious chance inside the first minute when he found himself clear on goal with only Marriott to beat.

Unfortunately, he fired his shot too close to the keeper who pushed away the goalbound effort.

Had that gone in and the visitors been forced out of their shells it could have been a more open encounter but they got men behind the ball at every opportunity and grew in confidence as the game progressed.

That said, they did not create many chances of their own and looked as surprised as anyone when they went in front a minute before the break.

Predictably it was a high ball into the box that proved Bury's undoing, the ball skimmed off the head of skipper Dave Challinor and the unmarked Matt Bloomer did the rest with a looping header over Glyn Garner.

The expected turnaround after half time did not materialise for the Shakers who, for the first time this season, failed to get on the scoresheet.

Far too often the front pairing of Nugent and Chris Porter were left to forage on their own with little support from the rest of the side.

Maybe the absence of Dave Flitcroft could have had a bearing on that as his presence allows both Brian Barry-Murphy and Dwayne Mattis to get forward.

But Flitcroft's replacement, Canadian international Terry Dunfield making his first start, did his level best to create openings until the team lost its discipline in the second half.

As the Shakers threw caution to the wind, City broke dangerously on a couple of occasions and former Hyde United striker Simon Yeo had a gilt-edged opportunity to score but put his free header wide with only Garner to beat.

"We knew going into the game what it was going to be like," said Dunfield.

"It's disappointing that we didn't have the cutting edge to break them down. "After we carved out one or two chances in the first 20 minutes they defended well and held on to the result they needed.

"It was always going to be a different game from last week's games against Kidderminster and Rochdale.

"In the last ten minutes we threw Danny Swailes up front and tried different things but it just didn't happen for us.

"I think perhaps some of us just weren't at it today.

BURY

FORMGUIDE

Garner 6, Unsworth 6 (Whaley 60, 6), Swailes 6, Challinor 6, Scott 7, Mattis 6, Barry-Murphy 6, Kennedy 6, Nugent 7, Porter 6 (Jones 69, 6). Subs not used: Barrass, Newby and Woodthorpe.

Attendance: 3,188.

Referee: Mr Phil Prosser (West Yorks).