BURNAGE 17, BURY 8: Earlier in the season when Bury hosted Burnage in the RFU North Lancs One, they lost to a competent yet not expansive outfit.

Bearing in mind their results since then and the fact they are third in the league, they have made no tangible improvements.

Bury were unfortunate not to open the scoring after just three minutes, when right wing Mark Fielding was stopped 12 metres from the Burnage try-line, trying unsuccessfully to take his opposite number on the short side.

Three minutes later Burnage opened the scoring when Bury were penalised for not releasing after the tackle.

The 20-metre penalty kick head-on to the sticks was then easily converted.

Despite this Bury were dominant in the first 20 minutes, Fielding again going close, stopped 15 metres short this time.

Presented with an 18-metre penalty kick on 22 minutes, stand-off Ian Webb unfortunately hooked the opportunity wide.

With seven minutes of the half remaining Bury would have happily settled for a three-point deficit at the interval.

But a combination of circumstances, conspired to give Burnage a half time advantage of 17 points.

With Lancashire consigned to the sin-bin for stamping, the home scored twice, the second of which a well taken opportunity by stand-off Jennings, who sold an outrageous dummy to split the Bury centres and go over under the sticks.

Bury had the wind at their backs in the second half, and enjoyed complete dominance in the set scrums during the first 20 minutes.

However, a tactical substitution that saw Martin Kennedy replace Adam Laughton at lock, traded off some four stone in weight.

Lacking lineout ball in the first half, this change may have achieved its objective, but the scrums were to suffer.

Burnage appeared content to sit on their lead, and never seriously threatening the Bury line, while the visitors use of the conditions was poor, never seriously threatening the opposition 22.

They were, however, rewarded by a penalty from 20 metres, easily converted by Ian Webb.

Bury eventually added a try, probably the best of the game, when a fast feed from the pack released the three-quarters and left wing John Johnson simply outpaced his opposite number to score in the corner.

Prop John Westwood was then yellow-carded for punching, although by then it had little effect upon the outcome.

All told it was a poor game marred by indiscipline, with chilled fingers contributing to a poor spectacle.

l BURY: Westwood, Butt, Marshall, Hargreaves, Laughton, Robinson, Lancashire, Smithson, Livesey, Webb, Johnson, Leeming, Boyd, Fielding McGarraghy.

Replacements: Kennedy (for Laughton , 40), Roberts (for Westwood, 60).