Bury 2, Wycombe Wanderers 0 BURY ended Wycombe's fine away run and kept their first clean sheet in the league this season as they bounced back from a poor first half to secure the points.

After an opening period that manager Neil Warnock admitted he couldn't wait to end, it was hard to imagine them finishing triumphant against Lawrie Sanchez's well-organised side.

Yet it all ended happily as goals from veteran striker Andy Preece and substitute Darren Bullock ended the Chairboys' hopes and kept the Shakers hot on heels of the Division Two pacesetters.

Warnock took off Dean Barrick and Lee Richardson for Steve Redmond and Bullock at the interval and the fine tuning certainly pepped up the Shakers.

But while neither player had done anything wrong, it was clear that remedial work was essential and thankfully for the Bury faithful it paid off.

"We really were at sixes and sevens in the first half and I was glad to hear the half-time whistle," admitted Warnock.

"I said to the lads that Wycombe had a good half and now we have to do the same. In the end I think we thoroughly deserved the three points."

Wycombe began as you'd expect a team who hadn't been beaten on their travels since last March. They took the game to the off-colour Shakers from the off.

Paddy Kenny was relieved to see a deflected Keith Ryan shot dip over his crossbar as early as the third minute and he had to be at his agile best to push over a blistering angled drive from the same player minutes later.

At the other end Bury only carved out one serious chance when Paul Reid raced onto a Richardson through ball and unleashed a powerful dipping left-footer that cannoned off Taylor's bar.

That chance apart, until the break, it was pretty sterile stuff from the Shakers who struggled to get any fluent passing movements together.

Nevertheless, one bright spot was the performance of keeper Kenny who is growing in confidence with every game. His teammates were indebted to him when he stopped them going behind two minutes from the interval.

When the Chairboys' Sean Devine sprung the offside trap to race clear, Kenny kept his head and forced the striker wide of the goal giving his defenders enough time to get back and clear the danger.

Three minutes after the break Warnock's changes nearly brought an early reward when Lawson broke on the right and drilled a dangerous ball into the box which defender Bates just managed to clear to safety in front of the incoming Littlejohn.

But the rejuvenated Shakers weren't to be denied and after 53 minutes they went in front when Paul Reid crossed into the box and Preece stooped to direct a fine header out of reach of Taylor.

Minutes later the Wycombe keeper, seemingly carrying an injury, was replaced by former Bolton youngster Mark Westhead.

Preece almost turned provider 15 minutes from time when he backheeled into the path of Bullock who placed his shot high over the bar.

However, the midfielder made amends two minutes from time with the second goal, drilling a low drive just inside Westhead's post after a move involving Preece, Paul Barnes and Chris Billy.

BURY: Kenny 8, Billy 7, Woodward 8, SWAILES 8, Barrick 7 (Redmond 45) 8, Richardson 7 (Bullock 45) 7, Daws 7, Reid 7, Preece 7, Lawson 8, Littlejohn 7 (Barnes 80). Subs (not used) Avdiu & Williams. Attendance: 3,293

Referee: Mr Roger Furnandiz (Doncaster)

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