RFU North Lancs One

On a cold, brisk autumn day with great underfoot conditions despite the hard frost of the previous night and little or no wind, Bury set about the opposition.

However, nothing much happened, apart from some indifferent handling and collective errors for the first 23 minutes.

Eventually, having rid themselves of this early torpor, Bury set about the opposition with gusto and their effort was rewarded with a points fest.

A good line-out take from 15 metres was followed by a rolling maul, and scrum-half Coburn scored in the right corner.

Chorley then mounted what was to be their only serious attempt at scoring for the whole of the match, and in fairness laid the Bury line under siege for a good 10 minutes, without reward.

With five minutes of the half remaining, wing Bob Rigby linked with full-back Dan Jones, who covered 40 metres to score in the right corner, unconverted.

Two minutes later wing Adam Lawton made substantial ground and, backed up to by captain Robinson, scored between the posts, easily converted.

Bury were now 17 points to the good, and the speculation among spectators was whether they had the killer instinct not just to win, but to rack up a large score, the consensus was no. Thankfully they were disproved, with Bury scoring eight tries in the second half, five of them converted.

Chorley were awarded a scrum while defending and saw the put-in reversed.

Quick ball to wing Lawton backed-up by the ever-present Robinson saw him score, converted.

Robinson added to his tally with a move started off by Rigby, carried on by Jones and again completed by captain Bernard Robinson.

A forward break started by Andy Smith was backed up by Rick Roberts senior, who eventually fed Rigby.

From 40 metres he switched on the afterburners and left the opposition for dead, to score between the posts for a converted try.

Not to be out done by his father, Bury, striking against the head, saw Coburn feed Rick Roberts Junior, who dummied his opposite number to score a converted try.

Bury, trying to add to their total saw Lawton galloping in for the corner ride a tackle, outside him backing up to take the scoring pass was prop Ian Marshall. Do Bury have a slow wing, or a very fast prop, the jury is still out.

The home side's next effort probably involved 10 players, started by Robinson and finished off by Rigby.

The penultimate score was credited, after a driving maul, to Number 8 Hargreaves, despite the efforts of lock Alec Wardle and flank forward Nick Smithson, to wrest the ball from him to grab the glory.

Centre Richard Green had an excellent match in both attack and defence, and his crunching tackle on his opposing number saw the ball bobble loose, but only as far as Lawton, who coasted in for the final score of the match.

Man-of-the-Match was captain Bernard Robinson, who covered every inch of the field.

Bury are not slated for a match this Saturday, but the week after they are back with the big boys, when Didsbury Toc H are the opposition.

BURY: Roberts, Butt, Marshall, Wardle, Smith, Robinson, Hargreaves, Smithson, Coburn, Roberts, Lawton, Green, Leeming, Rigby, Jones.

l The club's remaining games:

DECEMBER

Saturday 3 Didsbury Toc H (Away)

Saturday 10 Littleborough (Away)

JANUARY

Saturday 7 Burnley (Home)

Saturday 21 Thornton Cleveleys (Away)

Saturday 28 Old Bedians (Home)

FEBRUARY

Saturday 11 Eccles (Away)

Saturday 18 Colne & Nelson (Home)

MARCH

Saturday 11 Bolton (Away)

Saturday 25 Tarlton (Home

APRIL

Saturday 8 Littleborough (Away)

Saturday 22 Didsbury Toc (Home)

North Lancs ONE

PWDLFAPts

Aldwinians87012517814

Eccles970225310214

Didsbury Toc H76011706012

Burnley86021568812

Littleborough950429014510

Tarleton7403182718

Bury94051762028

Old Bedians83051041556

Bolton83051211816

Colne & Nelson8206632294

Thornton Cleveleys81071242702

Chorley7007243330

MIKE JONES