Bury 0, Ipswich Town 3 ONCE the darling of the Shakers supporters David Johnson left town as Public Enemy Number One after this Gigg Lane clash.

The former Manchester United junior who moved to Ipswich in a £1 million deal had cries of "cheat, cheat, cheat" ringing in his ears from fans who used to worship him after he theatrically went down in the area under an innocuous challenge by Andy Woodward.

Mark Venus blasted home the 50th minute spot-kick for the opening goal and there proved to be no way back for the battling Shakers. Further goals from Tony Mowbray and on-loan Nottingham Forest striker Marlon Harewood added to the torment but it was the manner of the crucial opener that riled the Gigg Lane camp.

"I wish Johnno would come and educate some of our lads on how to go over," said angry Shakers boss Neil Warnock.

"There was no contact but there's no point in complaining, 99 per cent of referees would give a penalty like that.

"We've got to learn that if you put a foot out like Andy Woodward did some players will go over it - they actually look for it - top professional footballers get penalties like that because referees don't know any different." Missing influential skipper Chris Lucketti as well as strikers Adrian Littlejohn and leading scorer Laurent D'Jaffo Bury found it difficult to make inroads on the visitors goal and Town keeper Richard Wright had a relatively easy time prior to his joining the full England squad this week.

Yet for all their possession and neat, intricate passing the Suffolk side never looked like breaking the deadlock in the first period in which Woodward and Chris Swailes in the centre of defence were dominant.

But for captain-for-the-day Swailes, the ex-Ipswich player who joined the Shakers as part of the Johnson deal, the match was to prove a personal tragedy. After playing the game of his life against his former club he amazingly gifted Harewood the third goal with a bizarre under-hit pass to goalkeeper Dean Kiely that fell straight to the youngster.

And the aerial dominance that Lucketti usually provides was sadly missing for Town's second when Jim Magilton's corner wasn't cleared and Mowbray poked the ball home after a goalmouth scramble.

Bury's best efforts were from long range with Nick Daws, Nigel Jemson and Lennie Johnrose all trying their luck without success. Midfielder Tony Rigby, forced into his first outing of the season, looked well short of match fitness and was replaced by youngster Martyn Forrest getting his first taste of league action.

But disappointed Woodward summed up the afternoon: "I thought we defended well up to the penalty but the second and third goals were sloppy.

"I don't think Ipswich were three goals better than us but we didn't look like the team we have done over the past few games.

"If we dig in and pick up some points against the top teams we have to play at home and keeping nicking some away, we'll be all right." Kiely 7, Woodward 7, Williams 6, Daws 7, Billy 6, West 7, Swailes 8, Jemson 6, James 6, Johnrose 7, Rigby 5. Subs: Forrest 6, Preece 6 and Souter (not used).

Referee: Ken Leach

(Warley).

Attendance: 4,750.

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