ONCE again, as demonstrated so admirably last season, Bury showed their inability to keep playing to the final whistle - this time with exasperating consequences writes James Bentley

After playing reasonably well for 90 minutes, a simple lapse in concentration meant that the Shakers would make the long journey back home with only one point when, right up to the third minute of stoppage time, they looked to have secured all three.

The Boston programme carried an advertisement for a local radio station which used the words 'Passionate', 'Enthusiastic' and 'Exhilarating' -- three words which could definitely not describe the first half of the Shakers first league visit to the cramped, but ultimately likeable York Street.

Opportunist

There was little to write home about in the first period from either team. Pawel Abbot failed to take a number of chances after good work from Newby, and Lee Unsworth hit a good opportunist effort just wide.

Bury's best chance of the half came from on-loan Manchester City starlet Terry Dunfield, who saw the chance to take an early free-kick, producing a deft chip that was just tipped over by the veteran Bastock in the home goal.

The biggest problem facing Andy Preece's men was one that will face every team that travels to Boston this season -- the Pilgrims are a difficult side to break down because they are big and strong, as any side that wins the Conference has to be.

The second half saw Bury attack the game with a renewed vigour, spurred on undoubtedly by a Preece dressing-down which ensured they were sent back on to the field with five minutes of half-time still remaining.

Bury got their reward just three minutes into the new half as an incisive ball from Forrest found Newby in the inside left berth. He had no trouble curling the ball to Bastock's right to the joy of the Bury fans stood behind the goal.

More pressure from the Shakers followed, but there was rarely anything concrete, besides an Abbot snapshot that the goalkeeper did well to beat away for a corner.

As the game wore on Boston became more and more urgent themselves and even had a very strong penalty appeal turned down by referee Frankland.

Michael Nelson became the rock at the heart of the Bury defence as he dealt competently with everything that Boston had to throw at the visitors.

With eight minutes of normal time remaining, Boston used the same trick that Bury had used in the first half, as a quick free-kick was taken from the edge of the box whilst the Bury wall was still being arranged. Glyn Garner stayed alert and produced a fantastic save down to his right.

Deep into stoppage time, the inevitable equaliser was scored after a clumsy Jamie Stuart challenge resulted in a free kick which was headed against the bar by Warbuton and subsequently hit home by Weatherstone.

The goal was literally the last kick of the game, to the crushing disappointment of the Bury following and the joy of the Boston fans, who probably knew that they had won a point that they did not deserve.

Post-match, Preece was fuming. "There were two or three points in the last ten minutes where we could have killed the game off, we just weren't hungry enough for the win," he raged.

"You've got to finish the job off for 93-94 minutes, and we're not doing that. We've let ourselves down again, it's put a new taint on the result considering how vital two points could be at the end of the season," Preece added.

BURY

Glyn Garner...7

Jamie Stuart ...6

Michael Nelson...7

Lee Unsworth...6

Martyn Forrest...6

Chris Billy...5

Steve Redmond...6

Pawel Abbot...8

Terry Dunfield...7

Colin Woodthorpe...6

Jon Newby...7

Subs (not used): Preece, Nugent, George, Swailes, Barrass

Yellow cards: Dunfield (70), Unsworth (90)

BOSTON UNITED: Bastock, Hocking, Gould, Warburton, Greaves (Angel, 50), Rusk, Ellender (Cook, 80), Burton (Douglas, 53), Clare, Weatherstone, Redfearn. Subs not used: Conroy, Clifford.

Yellow cards: Douglas (79)

REFEREE: Mr. G. Frankland

ATT: 2,790