Bury 0, Norwich City 2 BAD boy Darren Bullock is facing another date with the FA after lasting just 11 minutes on his Shakers debut. The former Swindon hardman, who moved to Gigg Lane last week in a £200,000 deal, was given his marching orders for allegedly kicking City's Peter Grant in the head.

Bullock vehemently denied the charge after the game and promised to appeal against the sending off.

Whether that will wash with Lancaster Gate's disciplinary committee is another matter. The no-nonsense midfielder is clearly a marked man with referees these days. Last month he became only the second player in English football, behind Southampton's Mark Hughes, to collect 11 yellow cards this season. His latest misdemeanour could result in a lengthy lay-off at the most crucial stage of Bury's campaign. Manager Neil Warnock, clearly livid with police officer Mark Warren's decision, said: "I didn't see the incident, but I looked at the video after the game and I think it was harsh. There was no way Darren could have got out of it.

"I do not think I have ever seen a game where one person has decided a result. I don't think Norwich have beaten us, I don't think they won the game."

Referee Warren refused to comment on the incident after the game as he was ushered to his car by his two linesmen, but did promise to take a close look at the video tape.

Ironically, the man Bullock replaced at Gigg Lane, Lennie Johnrose, suffered the same fate in his second appearance for Burnley on the same day. That will come as little or no consolation, though. Goals from Craig Bellamy and Craig Fleming secured the points for Bruce Rioch's Canaries and nudged the Shakers into the bottom three for the first time this season in the process.

Bellamy's 29th minute opener was more the result of luck than judgement as a blocked shot from Adrian Forbes ricocheted off the youngster's shins and past Dean Kiely.

Bury had battled gamely with 10 men in a bid to grab a share of the spoils, but when Fleming headed home from a hotly-disputed corner 18 minutes from time the game was over.

It is now 12 matches since the club's die-hard fans last tasted triumph, against West Brom on December 5. Shakers formguide: Kiely 8, Woodward 7, Serrant 8, Daws 7, Lucketti 8, Bullock 5, Swailes 7, Patterson 8, D'Jaffo 7, Jemson 7, HALL 9. Subs: Preece (for Jemson, 65 mins), Littlejohn (for D'Jaffo, 65 mins), West (for Daws, 34 mins).

Attendance: 4,285.

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