Northwich Vic 1, Bury 0

BURY crashed out of the FA Cup to non-league minnows Northwich on a night which could have serious consequences for the future of the club.

The money a decent cup run would have generated was vital to helping the Shakers get through to the end of the season still in business.

Now they have to rely on either former Chesterfield Chairman Norton Lea or Norwegian billionaire Atle Brynestead buying the club soon, though the latter looks increasingly unlikely to do so.

Last night's embarrassing defeat was a tale of two halves.

Bury came out looking fired up and should have been in front, with Northwich saved by the crossbar, poor finishing and full back Mark Bailey heading Chris Swailes' header off the line.

But after the break the match turned on its head as the part-timers applied the pressure and the Bury back four became increasingly nervous.

It was no surprise when former Manchester City striker Adie Mike -- who spent a month on loan at Gigg -- blasted an unstoppable volley into the back of the net from 12 yards and the packed Drill Field erupted.

When Paul Barnes volleyed wildly into the crowd with four minutes remaining it was all over, and boss Andy Preece walked from the field with a mood as black as the night sky.

"We should have had the game won by half time," he said.

"The chances we missed defied belief and the clearances and blocks they made were unbelievable. It's been the same old story for the last six or seven games.

The effort and commitment is there but we just can't put the ball in the net."

Bury had their chances in a one-sided first half. Barnes had a shot tipped round the post by Lance Key, Darren Bullock hit a 30-yard drive just too high and Danny Swailes' goal-bound header from a Paul Reid corner was about to hit the back of the net when Vic's full back Bailey -- who had been booked barely 30 seconds earlier for a crude lunge at Adrian Littlejohn -- appeared from nowhere to head the ball away.

The best chance came on 37 minutes. Barnes headed against the bar and the rebound dropped for Littlejohn who somehow hit the side netting from less than four yards out.

Northwich manager Keith Alexander obviously let rip at half time because his team came out looking a different class.

Danger man Gary Fletcher, who scored the equaliser at Gigg Lane, was again the main threat, proving a real handful for Bury's defence.

He had several efforts saved by an in-form Paddy Kenny and only a superb Lee Unsworth challenge denied the young striker a goal after he had run from the halfway line unchallenged.

But throughout the second half Bury had repeatedly failed to clear their lines.

Headers and boots up field were only travelling a few yards and it meant they were always under pressure.

The goal arrived in a similar manner. The defence failed to clear a Mark Barnard free kick and the ball fell to Mike who powered home.

Andy Preece, Jason Jarrett and Sam Collins all came off the bench as Bury threw everyone forward but they never really looked like scoring.

If defeat was hard to swallow for Preece, it was even worse for Chairman Terry Robinson, who had hinted before the match that, if the Shakers lost, he would put every player up for sale.

BURY: Kenny 7, Unsworth 5, Barrick 5, C Swailes 6, D Swailes 6, Billy, 6, Daws 5, Bullock 5, Barnes 6, Littlejohn 5, Reid 6. Subs: Preece (for Bullock 73), Jarrett (for Littlejohn 73), Collins (for Barrick 84), Forrest, Bhutia.

ATT: 2,868.