Bury 2 Chesterfield 1
11:25pm Tuesday 24th November 2009 in Bury FC By Marc Higginson
IT was quite fitting that Bury chose the night they moved into the promotion places for the first time this season to make a strong statement to the rest of the division.
The Shakers, in one of their stiffest tests so far, came through the tough examination with flying colours thanks to a predatory double from evergreen marksman Andy Morrell.
The visitors had ambitions of breaking into the top three when they rocked up at Gigg Lane and, after beating early pacesetters Bournemouth and Rochdale in the last month, together with putting five past both Burton and Darlington, they had every right to be confident of turning over Bury.
Alan Knill's side are, however, quite resilient themselves and in extending their unbeaten run in League Two to 11 games they proved they have what it takes to mount another promotion push.
They might have been suffering from an early season hangover during the early throes of the campaign, but few can doubt their credentials after they held big-spending Notts County and Shrewsbury to draws while turning over Chesterfield in their last three outings.
“I thought we were excellent against the form team in the league,” said manager Knill. “We were the better side and it was a fair result.
“Our movement and pace of the pass was first class and our first goal summed up our play. We moved it around until the time was right to put it in, then a great delivery and fantastic header.”
Bury are making a name for themselves as a team that sticks to their footballing principles whatever the weather or style of opponent.
It is winning them plenty of admirers on both the terraces and in the media, with their vibrant style of play sure to keep the Gigg Lane gates rising.
Knill declared himself happy with a first half display that lacked few clear-cut chances, although he looks likely to be without Ryan Cresswell for a number of weeks after the young centre-half caught his studs in the soggy turf and damaged his ankle ligaments early into the contest.
A five minute delay seemed to take the sting out of the game and it was not until the second period that Bury started to carve out some goalscoring opportunities.
Midfielder Brian Barry-Murphy screwed a shot wide before Morrell headed his side into the lead on 55 minutes.
Tom Newey, who was having plenty of joy down the left flank, swung over a deep cross that the deadly striker met with precision to beat onrushing keeper Tommy Lee.
Barry-Murphy flashed another effort past the upright before Morrell doubled Bury's lead in the 70th minute.
Lee made a point-blank save from Efe Sodje's header and the ball dropped nicely for the clinical Morrell to rifle home.
Chesterfield were not going to go down without a fight, and substitute Scott Boden twice went close before Wade Small tapped home with just two minutes remaining after Bury failed to clear their line from a corner.
It made for a nervy four minutes of injury time, but the home side held firm and can now look forward to a free weekend safe in the knowledge they are firmly back in the promotion shake-up.
It is all shaping up to be an exciting winter down at Gigg Lane.
BURY: Brown 6, Buchanan 7, Cresswell 6 (Futcher 7, 14), Sodje 7, Newey 7, Racchi 7 (Worrall 6, 79), Dawson 8, Barry-Murphy 8, Jones 7, Morrell 8, Nardiello 7 (Baker 83). Subs not used: Scott, Belford, Thompson.
CHESTERFIELD: Lee 6, Picken 6, Page 7, Breckin 6, Talbot 6, Small 7, Perkins 6 (Niven 6, 72), Little 7, Allott 6, Djilali 6, Lester 6 (Boden 6, 72). Subs not used: Goodall, Hall, Gray, Crossley, Lewis.
Attendance: 2,504 (397 Chesterfield fans)
Referee: Mr C Pawson (Yorkshire)
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