Cambridge United 0 Bury 1

THE six points Cambridge took off the Shakers last season kept them in the Second Division after a long hard struggle.

But Andy Preece's men showed they aren't going to be so generous this time around with a highly encouraging opening day display.

The margin of the victory didn't really do the performance justice and with a bit more luck striker Paul Barnes might have given the scoreline a more realistic look.

He claimed the 43rd minute winner after bundling the ball over the line from close range after Chris Swailes had headed a Nick Daws free-kick across goal.

Paul Reid (who also claimed the goal!) challenged Lionel Perez in the Cambridge goal causing the Frenchman to take his eye off the ball and it seemed an age before it found it's way over the line.

Twice in the space of three minutes midway through the first half Barnes could have opening the new season's goal account, hooking a close range effort goalwards that was deflected for a corner then firing an angled drive over the bar after racing clear of the U's defence.

Add to that an 82nd minute lob that Perez did well to get a hand to and you can see why he was keen to claim the all-important winner!

Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of the display was the hard work and organisation that restricted the home side to just two worthwhile efforts on goal.

Over the last few weeks assistant boss Steve Redmond has spent a lot of time working with the defence and it certainly showed at the Abbey.

Twin central defenders Sam Collins and Chris Swailes were in dominant mood and, flanked by debutant Lee Unsworth and former Cambridge favourite Dean Barrick, never allowed the U's to get a foothold back into the game.

With Daws and Chris Billy matching the midfield workrate of busy U's pairing of Wanless and Russell and Reid and Ady Littlejohn always a threat down the flanks the Shakers always looked likely to stretch the lead.

"If we can continue like that we have got a chance," said Preece.

"It's the sign of a decent team when you can grind out results like we did.

"The goal came from a routine we've worked on in training and it's always nice when it comes off in a game."