Sheffield UtdM-I3, BuryM-I0

BURY'S results between now and the end of the season may well prove irrelevant.

As the teams propping up Division One continue to struggle in the final furlong, 49 points will probably prove enough to survive by close of play on May 3.

But there were no thoughts of that in the Shakers camp on Saturday as they battled tooth and nail for a share of the spoils at Bramall Lane.

Don't be fooled by the scoreline. This wasn't the drubbing that the 3-0 result suggests.

The high-flying Blades, sitting pretty in the play-off places, only made the game safe when Ternent threw his players forward in search of an equaliser with 15 minutes to go.

The safe money, however, was always on Steve Thompson's men from the moment Bury conceded their third penalty in five games.

With 28 minutes gone, and the Shakers having enjoyed the best of the opening exchanges, Bryan Small lost possession on the edge of the area.

As he darted back to repair the damage and clear the ball for a corner he was ruled to have brought down Vass Borbokis in the right of the box.

The left back, who conceded a spot kick at Sunderland last month, appeared to have a case as he protested his innocence to referee Steve Baines, but the Chesterfield official had none of it and Stuart stepped up to fire home goal number one.

Until that moment, Bury had looked the best bet to hit the target first.

Tony Ellis, a goalscorer in his side's 2-0 win over Bradford City last week, shot directly at Alan Kelly after quarter-of-an-hour before Lennie Johnrose forced the Sheffield 'keeper into a superb save on 25 minutes. From the resulting corner, Chris Lucketti headed from far post to near where Gordon Armstrong shot narrowly off target.

Bury battled gamely for the opening half-an-hour of the second period until Saunders stepped up.

Johnrose headed wide of the mark on 53 minutes before Rob Matthews found himself in a great position to land his first goal of the season, but fired frustratingly wide when he could have done better.

And Small nearly took revenge for the first half penalty when his powerful goal-bound shot hit Wayne Quinn in the back.

United had their own chances too with striker Traianos Dellas blasting into the side netting after expertly rounding Andy Woodward and Stuart almost scored his second, only to be denied by the fingertips of Dean Kiely in the Bury goal.

With only 15 minutes remaining, the second goal of the match was always going to be crucial.

Sadly for the Shakers, it fell to Saunders.

A neat passage of play ended with 'super sub' Petr Katchouro launching a pin-point cross from the right for the Welsh international to head home with ease at the far post.

Katchouro had only been on the field eight minutes - an inspired substitution from Sheffield's caretaker manager Steve Thompson - and was soon tormenting the Shakers once more.

He started the move which brought the third and final goal five minutes from time, sending Quinn dribbling his way into the penalty area.

He looked to be running out of options as he charged for goal before spotting Saunders in the corner of his eye and unselfishly crossing for the marksman to tap home.

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