Rushden & Diamonds 0 Bury 1 by Phil Thorp

IT was a day for bucking the trend at high-flying Rushden & Diamonds on Saturday.

Bury, on their first ever visit to the ambitious Northamptonshire club, kept their first clean sheet in the league this season and in doing so smashed their hosts unbeaten home record.

And no-one who witnessed the game could deny it was a three points well deserved.

In the end a goal from Chris Billy in first half stoppage time was all that was needed, but in fairness the Shakers could have been two or three goals to the good at the interval.

Yet the game could have started in the worst possible way had it not been for Bury keeper Glyn Garner.

The young Welsh stopper pulled of one of the best saves you'll see anywhere this season when the Diamond's giant striker Onandi Lowe powered a third minute header down and seemingly into the back of the net.

He reckoned without Garner who - in the style of Gordon Banks from Pele in the 1970 World Cup - somehow managed to get down and turn the effort over the bar.

For the rest of the half it was pretty much all Bury as they utilised their numerical advantage in a five man midfield to great effect.

Gareth Seddon, Terry Dunfield, Jon Newby (twice) and even defender Matt Barrass all had glorious opportunities to score as the Shakers' intelligent and patient probing continually caused Brian Talbot's side problems.

The vital goal came from a mistake by the home side's impressive right back Tarkan Mustafa.

A slack ball inside to centre half Mark Peters was intercepted by the alert Billy and he raced into the box and shimmied before firing past Billy Turvey in the Rushden goal.

In the second half it was a 'backs to the wall' job for the Gigg Lane men but there was never going to be a repetition of the defensive frailties that have troubled them in the past.

As the home side continually launched long balls at Lowe the Shakers back line defended like Trojans, throwing in their bodies and bravely blocking any chances that fell the Diamonds' way.

But while the Diamonds pushed forward the Shakers still looked dangerous on the counterattack and substitute Dave Nugent almost made it two goals in two games minutes from the end but his close range effort was brilliantly palmed

away by Turley.

The manager was delighted with the result that keeps his side well in touch with the early Division Three pacesetters.

"We are only three points behind Rushden now and before the game I said they are where we wanted to be," said Preece.

"They put us under some pressure in the second half and we did well to restrict them to so few chances but in the first half we were opening them up for fun but couldn't stick the ball away.

"It's a big win against a good side, they weren't third in the league for nothing, and I'm delighted that the players were mentally tuned and gave us the extra five per cent we've been looking for.

"We well deserved our first clean sheet of the season."

BURY FORM GUIDE

:

Garner 8, Barrass 8, Swailes 8, Nelson 8, Woodthorpe 8, Stuart 8, Unsworth 7, Billy 9, Dunfield 7 (Preece 83), Seddon (Nugent 74) 7, Newby 8. Subs not used: Forrest, O'Shaughnessy, Whaley.

Attendance: 3,925

Ref: Mr M. Thorpe (Suffolk)