BLACKPOOL...22

BURY RUFC...27

RFU North Lancashire One

THIS is the first time that Bury had met their hosts in three years, Blackpool having been demoted this season.

Some things have not changed however. They still boast a number of Fijian players from the local barracks who are recognised as nationals due to their British army service and aren't subject to the restriction on the number of foreign players one can play.

The pitch was in excellent condition, vastly improved from my last visit. The wind, strong as it was, was marginally crossfield.

The home side could have opened the scoring after 10 minutes, but missed badly from a penalty 30 metres out.

From a slightly better angle they made amends after five minutes later with a conversion when Bury were penalised for entering the maul from the side.

Another chance with later in the half went begging when the Blackpool out-half duck-hooked his effort from 25 metres.

Under normal circumstances I would not dwell on the kicking abilities of the respective teams, but this was to be a match in which the outcome was to be dictated by the kickers, and the match official.

Centre Ian Webb retired with suspected concussion, but Bury saw fit not to replace him until his condition was assessed.

With only 14 men on the field Bury drove to five metres, and after two messy scrums, past captain John Westwood crossed the line for a try.

Not to be outdone past captain Sammy Kelly added another after another period of sustained pressure, converted by Hambleton.

Bury turned nine points ahead, and with a slight advantage from the elements, a win was now within their grasp.

The pack, particularly the front five, had the opposition reeling, despite packing down six stone extra in the second row they were being pushed at will.

Bury were unfortunate to lose Rick Roberts at prop with a hamstring pull, but Tattersall at replacement lacking the mobility of Roberts is capable in the set-piece.

Bury should have wrapped up the game after 50 minutes having scored a converted try from Kelly, and the penalty from stand-off Hambleton.

Enjoying a 17 point margin the game should have been out of sight, and the Bury contingent were looking forward to a sweeping victory.

However, the home side latched onto two moments of mental aberration and with two converted tries resulting from interceptions, came back within striking distance.

But Blackpool were also guilty of carelessness. When their full-back kicked into the hands of lock Adam Lawton 15 metres out, he flicked the ball to left wing John Johnson who scored in the corner.

The hosts weren't finished though and managed one last try in the dying minutes but this was insufficient to secure a victory.

On balance the scoreline does not reflect the degree of Bury superiority but they will take the two points anyway.

In my introduction to this report I made reference to the match official, his behaviour was exemplary, even though he himself was being assessed.

The decisions however of the linesman - not an accredited official but provided by the home team - were to say the least debatable.

I say this secure in the knowledge that Blackpool would accept my comments as being fair.

Talking both during the match and afterwards in the bar with my contemporaries, both as players and past officials, they agreed that the result could have been reversed had not the referee seen fit to overrule two decisions, and a third which, being charitable was questionable.

The first half penalty by Hambleton he would have disallowed but was overruled by official.

The second conversion in the final period, did not go over the bar but in this instance the referee acquiesced to his decision to raise his flag and the last, which was the conversion for the last Blackpool try, was two metres wide of the upright and the official quite rightly overruled his decision.

The conclusion is this, if one works out the mathematics had his decisions being, upheld Blackpool would have won by the margin of two points!

TEAM: Tattersall Kelly Roberts Lawton Kennedy McDermott Robinson(c) Lancashire Stott Hambleton Livesey McGarraghy Webb Johnson Jones. Replacements: Chester ,Westwood.

Tomorrow Bury entertain Burnage at the Radcliffe Road ground hoping to continue their unbeaten run (3pm).