Shrewsbury Town 1 Bury 1
8:58pm Saturday 21st November 2009 in Bury FC By Marc Higginson
A WONDER strike from loan ranger Daniel Nardiello was not enough to tame the Shrews as Paul Simpson's men netted an injury time leveller to deny Bury their sixth away win of the season on Saturday.
Nardiello, who scored on his debut against Notts County last week, looked to have done enough to earn his side three precious points with a fabulous finish on the half-hour mark, only to watch Graham Coughlan take advantage of some slack defending at the other end to ensure the spoils were shared.
The result extends Bury's unbeaten run in the league to ten matches and manager Alan Knill was pleased with his side's efforts, despite them letting a lead slip for the second game in succession.
“Before the game I would have taken a point, but we were in front for so long and had a great chance to make it 2-0 and seal the game towards the end,” admitted the Shakers boss.
“Performance wise, I thought we were the better team by far and we passed and moved well once we broke it up. It was a physical game but when we had the chance to move it we did.
“The goal we scored was great, and is something we work on – move the ball down the sides then play it in and finish.
“Even though we have conceded right at the end, and everyone is gutted, it was a good point.”
Both sides were struggling to adapt to the blustery conditions and it was not until the 23rd minute that either team went close.
First Andy Morrell saw his header cleared off the line by Paul Murray before, two minutes later, David Hibbert's shot was easily dealt with by Wayne Brown.
It looked like it would take a piece of individual magic to break the deadlock – and Nardiello obliged with a goal right out of the top drawer.
There seemed to be few options for the former Manchester United ace when he cut in from the left and played the ball into Morrell. But a fantastic lay-off from his strike partner gave Nardiello the opportunity of curling home from the edge of the area and producing a finish that any leading marksman would be proud off.
That strike sent Bury into the break ahead and, bar a couple of long-range efforts from Terry Dunfield and Waide Fairhurst either side of the break, the home side looked toothless.
Efe Sodje, with a free header, Nardiello and Michael Jones all went close as Bury sought to put the contest to bed.
Coughlan served notice of his danger when he headed wide from six yards out before David Worrall, against his former club, missed the perfect opportunity to drive the final nail into Town's coffin.
The on-loan winger was sent scampering clear, but he lacked composure when blasting wide of the target with only the keeper to beat.
And the Shakers were made to pay when an unmarked Coughlan headed home Omer Riza's cross from just six yards out, deep into stoppage time, to leave Bury crestfallen.
Stephen Dawson and Efe Sodje exchanged angry words at the final whistle as the post-mortem began, but Bury can take plenty of heart from their performance heading into Tuesday's home clash with in-form Chesterfield.
SHREWSBURY: Arestidou 7, Holden 7, Coughlan 7, Dunfield 6 (Riza 6, 64), Langmead 7, Hibbert 7 (Elder 6, 72), Murray 7, Leslie 6, Cansdell-Sherriff 6, Fairhurst 6 (Robinson 6, 72), McIntyre 6. Subs not used: Bright, Hooman, Button, Richards.
BURY: Brown 7, Buchanan 7, Cresswell 7, Sodje 7, Newey 6, Racchi 7 (Worrall 6, 76), Dawson 8, Barry-Murphy 8, Jones 6, Nardiello 8, Morrell 7 (Scott 6, 84). Subs not used: Futcher, Baker, Belford, Thompson.
Attendance: 5,070 (454 Bury fans)
Referee: M Haywood (West Yorks)
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