BURY today played down accusations that they fought with and threatened Reading players after last night's Coca Cola Cup tie, writes Neil Bonnar.

The Shakers were in the soccer dock for the second time in a fortnight after the national media machine today reported that police had to be called in to separate the two sets of players in the dressing room area.

Two weeks ago they were accused by Reading of calling the First Division side cheats after Bury striker Phil Stant suggested the Elm Park players used their influence to get the original game called off.

Royals player manager Jimmy Quinn said: "They were calling us cheats like they did two weeks ago and one of them claimed he was going to fill us in. There was a bit of a scuffle and there were one or two threats flying around."

Shakers skipper David Pugh countered: "There wasn't any fighting." And manager Stan Ternent added: "The Reading players aren't cheats and neither are mine."

Striker John Paskin will be sidelined until Christmas after having an operation on his injured Achilles which has restricted his appearances to three substitute roles this term.

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