BURY...20pts, OLD BEDIANS...10pts

BURY met the Didsbury-based Bedians for the first time this season and went behind to a sixth minute penalty, writes MIKE JONES.

The visitors were unlucky not to increase their lead in the 18th and 25th minutes, but Bury's tackling stopped them.

Neither side were playing attractive rugby. Old Bedians only have one game plan, which is total control in the line-out, scoring off the fringes of the resulting mauls.

Bury have the ability to play an open, attacking game, but, this season, lack of possession from the pack has given them little opportunity to demonstrate this.

The power of New Zealand centre Seane Tippett, usually partnered with either Leeming or Freschini, has therefore had to take a back seat.

Seconds before half-time, stand-off Ian Webb converted an easy penalty from in front of the posts to level the scores.

The second half was completely different as both sides offered up some entertainment for the crowd.

After 12 minutes Webb kicked diagonally into the right corner and a line-out infrigement resulted in a scrum to Bury. Right wing Mark Fielding scored in the corner, nearly running dead in the process. The Bury pitch at the Derby School end has only a five-metre dead ball area. Webb added the conversion. The visitors could have drawn level immediately from the re-start when awarded a penalty 10 metres from the posts. But, rather than take the option of the easy three points on offer, they went crash ball. Bury stopped the advance and cleared their lines.

Some two minutes later, with Bury scrumming only five metres from their own try line, Bedians' stand-off half intercepted the pass from Matt Boyd and touched down for a converted try.

Arguably, it should have been a penalty for Bury as Boyd was challenged by an opponent in an offside position, but the referee disagreed, adding yet another poor decision to the litany that had gone before.

With the scores now level, Ian Webb who was having an outstanding game, converted the penalty to give Bury a slender three-point lead.

In the last minute of normal time, Bury added an air of respectability to the scoreline with a goal.

Flank forward Andy Blenkharn, chasing up a line kick from Webb, took advantage of the Bedians' wing and full back fumbling the ball between them and kicked ahead to dash over the line and touch down.

John Westwood was outstanding in the back row and Matt Boyd, playing at scrum half, yet again showed what an accomplished all-rounder player he still is.

BURY: Smythe, Whitehead, Shimmins, Found, Kennedy, Westwood, Smithson, Blenkharn, M Boyd, Webb, Fielding, Tippett, Freschini, S Boyd, Robinson. Replacements: Livesey, Morris.

Tomorrow will test Bury to the limit as they visit top-rated Tyldesley in the league.