Bury 1, Crewe 0 NOBODY rates Bury - but they don't care. Their fellow professionals didn't vote one of them into the PFA Second Division team and players union chairman Pat Nevin never even gave the leaders a mention in his tips for promotion.

Crewe, on the other hand, are meant to have an array of highly-acclaimed rising stars currently impressing, among others, Roy Evans and Kenny Dalglish who ran the rule over them again last night.

The battering Bury gave them proved that actions talk louder than words. And I suspect if it came to voting for who they'd want in the trenches with them those same Second Division professionals would pick Stan Ternent's bravehearts one to eleven.

Ronnie Jepson's thunderous fourth minute volley clinched their 16th victory in 21 unbeaten home games before the veteran striker hit back at Nevin's omission of the Shakers from the promotion frame.

"He talked about Burnley, Stockport and others but we're top of the league and didn't even get a mention," he recalled. "If the chairman of the PFA cannot see we are top of the league then that's fair enough - we'll just get on with it. It doesn't rile us, it just makes us laugh.

"To bounce back against a good side like Crewe after being so awful at Blackpool on Saturday is no mean achievement and shows the character we've got in the club."

But it scarcely reflected the quality and dominance of a remarkably spirited side who earned a rousing tribute from their boss.

He enthused: "I think I've got 18 stars and a lot of them are unsung heroes.

"It's not the size of the dog that counts but the bite that's in it - that can move mountains.

"Crewe are an excellent side and people talk about Danny Murphy and Gareth Whalley and the like. But I have some very good players and we have a great camaraderie and spirit.

"Nobody gets big headed and that's down to the players themselves and not me - they won't allow it."

That focused, collective commitment was all too much for slick but out-battled Crewe who had keeper Jason Kearton to thank for twice denying the razor-sharp Tony Battersby and just about clawing Dean West's dipping cross away at full stretch. And when he was beaten by Ian Hughes - outstanding in only his second start since last autumn - Ashley Westwood was on hand to head clear.

Bury had to ride their luck when Whalley hit the post instead of an open goal after Dean Kiely had palmed Dele Adebola's firm drive into his path a minute before the break. But to lose two points to Crewe's only serious threat of the match would have been a travesty.

Dario Gradi's slick promotion rivals were stifled by Bury's work ethic with Chris Lucketti making a mockery of his omission from the PFA representative side, Paul Butler and Andy Woodward impenetrable, Nick Daws, Lenny Johnrose and Hughes gradually earning the right to play by first winning the physical battle in midfield and Jepson and Battersby a real handful up front.

"If we work as hard as that in our last four games promotion is ours for the taking," argued Hughes.

"Sheer commitment and will to win is what has got us to the top. We consistently give teams such a hard time and now we've got to get our boot into every tackle and work our socks off for each other." BURY FORMGUIDE: Kiely 6, West 8, Armstrong 8, Daws 8, Lucketti 9, Butler 8, Woodward 8, HUGHES 9, Jepson 8, Battersby 9. Subs: Johnson and Carter (for Jepson and Battersby 77 mins) and Randall. Attendance: 4,725.

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