Northampton Town 2 - Bury 1

ROLL up, roll up, roll up and see Andy Preece's Amazing Kamikaze Kings - they're coming to a town near you!

THRILL . . . as they dominate the opposition for long periods with some damn fine soccer.

GASP . . . at their inability to turn that possession into credible goal chances.

Then GROAN . . . as they crazily chuck away any hope of reward by gifting their grateful opponents a sloppy goal.

It's an act the Shakers have perfected in recent weeks and their latest performance, at Sixfields on Saturday, was a virtuoso one.

Worringly, the Gigg Lane men's last seven away trips haven't yielded them a single point and that's the kind of statistic that can't be allowed to continue - unless they fancy a midweek booking at Yeovil next season.

Blackpool-based Preece could nip down the road to the Tower Circus if he wanted to see novelty acts and he's desperate to bring the curtain down on the one he's currently touring the country with.

"I'm sick of saying the same things week in, week out, it's the same old story," said an exasperated Bury boss.

"The players should have been coming off the pitch being congratulated for getting at least a 1-1 draw but instead they are getting a rollocking!

"We are inflicting defeats on ourselves - the opposition aren't. If our opponents were playing good football and creating chances that's fair enough but they aren't - we are gifting them."

A goal behind after only 80 seconds the Shakers fought back valiantly to dominate the first period and after restoring parity ten minutes before the break were unlucky not to be enjoying a half time cuppa with their noses in front.

It was a rare slip by young debutant Chris Armstrong that laid the foundations for the early opener.

In attempting to head away a clearance from Town 'keeper Keith Welch he lost sight of the ball in the sun, allowing midfielder John Hodge to break clear.

Dangerman Hodge then couldn't believe his luck as the rest of the Bury defence backed off allowing him to cut inside and crack a low left foot effort just inside Paddy Kenny' left hand post.

Undaunted, the Shakers dusted themselves down and got on with the job and totally dominated the rest of the half.

Timely blocks foiled both Paul Barnes and Armstrong as they found themselves within shooting distance in the Cobblers' box but when a goal came it arrived from an unlikely source.

Paul Reid's right wing corner was only half cleared as far as Nick Daws and when the Shakers skipper delivered the ball back into the box Steve Redmond flicked it on and Chris Swailes dived full length to direct it past Welch just inside the post.

Baichung Bhutia - who kept his place in midfield following his fine performance against Kidderminster in midweek - thought he had fired the visitors into the lead when he smashed a terrific 20 yard volley goalwards.

It looked a goal all the way but the ball struck a bewildered James Hunt on the line and cannoned away to safety.

The second half was a pretty turgid affair with neither side able to create clear cut chances.

Indeed the biggest worry Kenny had to endure was a clearance by Chris Billy midway through the half, that ricocheted off Sam Collins and just cleared the bar with the Bury 'keeper backpedalling.

Then came the moment most of the 5,127 paying customers had been waiting for.

Former Sunderland and Derby County ace Marco Gabbiadini's arrival off the substitutes bench was met with the kind of roar usually saved for a goal.

Four minutes after his introduction the evergreen striker sent the home fans away happy by firing home the winner.

There seemed little danger when a long hopeful ball out of the Cobblers defence was lashed upfield but Collins somehow managed to set up Gabbiadini perfectly by getting the ball full in the face and the Town striker gleefully cracked a low drive past Kenny from 10 yards.

Bhutia - who had run his socks off after another good display - made way for Preece and Jason Jarrett replaced Collins as the Shakers went in search of another leveller.

But it was Gabbiadini who came closest to scoring when he saw Kenny superbly palm away a powerful drive after cutting inside on the right flank.

"We bossed the possession and with a bit more quality could have created a few more chances," added Preece.

"But we can't keep shooting ourselves in the foot like we are doing. Northampton must be absolutely delighted with those three points."