Cambridge United 3 - Bury 0

WANT to buy the Shakers fan in your life a video nasty? A copy of the first 45 minutes of this game would make Nightmare on Elm Street look like Bambi!

The shenanigans resulted in struggling Cambridge being gifted three valuable points and brought Bury's three-match revival to a shuddering halt.

It was a night when anything that could go wrong did for the Shakers who had Lutel James and Paul Reid both dismissed for offences late in the first half.

With only nine men on the field and 3-0 down at the interval the home fans in a bitterly cold Abbey Stadium were expecting their team running up a cricket score but to Bury's credit they regrouped and in the second period the U's failed to add to their total.

But while slack defending could be blamed for Cambridge's first two goals the performance of referee Graham Laws - the Nationwide League's answer to Freddie Kruger - had a lot to do with the mayhem that followed. Kicking up the slope and into a strong wind the Shakers looked decidedly rocky from the start and too often allowed themselves to be muscled out of possession.

Meanwhile Roy McFarland's men, mindful of their 2-0 success at Gigg Lane back in February, had the bit between their teeth and gave the youthful Shakers back line (average age less than 22 years) a torrid time.

Bury 'keeper Paddy Kenny had to be at his best to block a Paul Wanless effort after only six minutes but there was nothing he could do a minute later when the same man was left totally unmarked to head home a Robbie Mustoe cross.

Minutes later dangerman Trevor Benjamin showed just why he's being tipped for a move into the Premiership when he superbly turned Sam Collins before lashing a powerful drive just wide of the post.

Then the pacey Marc Joseph got in on the act racing down the right before drilling a similar effort across goal.

After 24 minutes the home side doubled their account and, again it was rank bad defending to blame. With the Shakers rearguard all over the place a last ditch tackle by Matt Barrass on John Taylor looked to have saved the day but the ball only broke for Benjamin who, in acres of space, had time to sidefoot home between Kenny and the post.

If they had been two goals behind at half time with the winds at their backs in the second period the Gigg Lane men might have fancied their chances of dragging themselves back into contention.

But they reckoned without referee Graham Laws.

Eleven minutes from the interval Barrass, with the ball at his feet on the edge of his own box, had his heels well and truly clipped by Hanson.

As an example of a clear cut foul it couldn't be equalled. To everyone except Mr Laws that is.

As the Bury defence stopped he failed to blow up and the ball broke to Kenny, who, under pressure from Taylor could only force the ball out to Hansen again and the U's striker rolled the ball over the line from a narrow angle.

The incident incensed the Shakers players and they wasted no time in letting Laws know about it with Chris Billy subsequently booked.

A minute later things went from bad to worse when Joseph went to the ground poleaxed, holding his head and, after consulting his linesman, James was sent off for violent conduct. Minutes later a 50-50 ball in the middle of the pitch was contested by Scott Eustace and Reid.

Reid appeared merely to jump out of the way of Eustace's dangerous two-footed lunge and both players were left prostrate after the collision.

While Reid was receiving treatment Mr Laws took the opportunity to consult his assistant and duly rewarded the midfielder with a red card presumably for dangerous play while Eustace - who coincidentally had been booked earlier - got away scot free.

After the drama of the first period the second half was relatively tame with the nine-man Shakers doing a sterling job of containing Cambridge.

Keeping their shape in a 4-2-1 formation they showed good discipline to frustrate the home side who earlier in the season could only manage a 0-0 draw when Cardiff City were reduced to eight men.

But Andy Preece's men's ill-luck just kept coming when two minutes after the break Dean Crowe chased a through ball only to fall awkwardly over U's goalkeeper Lionel Perez.

The livewire striker, on loan from Stoke, immediately waved for attention and was stretchered off with knee ligament damage.

For all the home side's possession the best chance of the half fell to Bury substitute Paul Barnes who lashed a first time effort wide with only the 'keeper to beat.

But after the goings-on in the first period the second 45 minutes was a moral victory and Preece, the players and the loyal 121 fans who made the trip down celebrated as if it was a victory at the final whistle.

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