BURY...3, MANCHESTER CITY...4: TALK about doing things the hard way!

First Bury allowed free-scoring Premiership side Manchester City to race into a three goal lead with only 27 minutes on the clock and then after drawing level with a stirring second-half fightback, they allowed their opponents to snatch victory with ten minutes to go.

However, Wednesday night was all about positives. It was a positive that Bury are in the position of playing such talented teams, it is a positive that a crowd of 7,642 turned up to generate some much needed cash for the club and it is a positive that Bury could score three goals against a Premiership defence containing international stoppers.

Shakers manager Andy Preece was thrilled with the sizeable crowd and said: "It's going to help us no end. It was a fantastic crowd and a great credit to City for coming along and bringing so many supporters.

"As ever, our fans were brilliant and it was nice to generate some cash because we desperately need it."

After 27 minutes Preece, who started up front, will have been more grateful for the half-time whistle as his rattled side were being toyed with by the Premiership giants.

City were in ominous touch in the first half as they time and time again caused problems for Bury's defence with Israeli midfieder Eyal Berkovic, in particular,teaming up well with Ali Benarbia.

City's movement was of the highest order and the midfield pairing set up chances for City's £17m strikeforce of Nicolas Anelka and Darren Huckerby at will.

City took the lead on five minutes as new £13m man Anelka was left unmarked to head home a pinpoint Benarbia cross.

Bury's midfield would have found more room in a telephone box and struggled to contain their illustrious rivals. However, Glynn Garner was making top-drawer saves on a more than regular basis.

City increased their lead on 17 minutes when Berkovic sliced through the Bury rearguard and Shaun Wright-Phillips left Garner stranded.

Further salt was rubbed in the wound when Anelka punished a slip by Danny Swailes to net his second of the night.

However, City couldn't add to their total before half-time due to a combination of quality goalkeeping and poor finishing, which seemed to see the Shakers grow in confidence.

Jon Newby was looking lively up front and he brought the crowd to life when Carlo Nash was forced to tip his shot around the post.

City manager Keegan made ten changes at half-time and the Shakers took full advantage.

They started their comeback on 50 minutes when Preece knocked on a George Clegg corner for Danny Swailes to drill home. If the Bury fans weren't singing before this, they certainly were afterwards!

At that point they began to sing "We're going to win 4-3" and it looked on the cards when Lee Connell, on for the injured Chris Billy, broke free to grab a second on 70 minutes.

He then set up manager Preece for the easiest of tap-ins to the delight of all Bury fans.

City's defence was all over the place and even a streaker managed to run through their rearguard unchallenged to the biggest roar of the night!

To put a dampener on a magnificent evening, City substitute Stephen Jordan sealed the victory with ten minutes remaining but the Gigg Lane crowd had seen enough in 35 second-half minutes to suggest they can score goals in Division Three; City certainly showed in the first-half they can be a Premiership force.

Ex-England boss Keegan commented: "Bury will be happy with their second-half performance and will be encouraged by scoring three goals against us. On paper they won't play many better defences than ours this season."

Preece agreed: "City have got quality players and in the first half we just weren't in the races but we had a half-time rollicking and it seemed to work because we played very well second half.

"We need to defend a lot better and start games better. We also need to stop giving goals away. The first was from a set-piece, Danny (Swailes) slipped over for the second, and Jamie (Stuart) got caught square.

"I felt we earned our goals. They were resulted from good moves and were a reward of hard work. Nobody gave us our goals and I'm pleased with that."

Who'd have thought after 27 minutes of torture there would be so many positives?

BURY: Garner, Barrass, Stuart, Redmond, Swailes, Unsworth, Billy (Connell), Forrest, Newby, Clegg, Preece.