Big Match Review - Port Vale 0 Bury 0

Port Vale 0-0 Bury

Saturday March 26, Vale Park (Att: 5,510)

Promotion-hunting Bury were happy to claim a share of the spoils after finishing with ten men against a Port Vale side frustrated in their own chase for the play offs.

The hosts dominated proceedings in the first half and were unfortunate not to go ahead when a Tom Pope header came off the bar and Marc Richards blasted the rebound over.

Richards was then denied by the woodwork himself as he slid to meet a low centre from the right only to see the upright prevent giving Vale a first half lead.

The Staffordshire side, under the caretaker management of Mark Grew, continued to press for a goal after the interval but once more were denied by the frame of keeper Cameron Belford's goal.

This time a low cross from Lewis Haldane was met with a thundering drive by Doug Loft. However, his effort ricocheted back off the post.

The Shakers ended the game with ten men after captain Steven Schumacher saw red for his challenge on Anthony Griffith. However, they were able to see out the remainder of the game.

It sees the Potteries side remain 9th, just outside the play off positions. For Bury though, while the draw means they slip to third in the table, they will be more concerned with the speculation linking Knill to the vacant managerial post at Scunthorpe.

Big Match Preview - Port Vale vs. Bury

Port Vale vs. Bury

Saturday March 26, 13:00, Vale Park

Two sides with eyes on promotion from the basement division to League One meet on Saturday lunchtime in Staffordshire as Port Vale host Bury.

It pits the visitors - who currently sit in second - against a Valiants team who, despite recently slipping out of League Two's top seven, lie just five points behind.

That loss of form saw the departure of Jim Gannon from his post as manager after a tumultuous 14-game spell at the helm. Vale won four, drew four, and lost six under the Irishman, who took over from Micky Adams.

It wasn't just on the pitch where things were tough for Gannon, as he displayed a tempestuous attitude alongside his desire to change the team's formation and playing style.

He also struggled to forge a working relationship with the club's coaching staff, including being part of an embarrassing episode where he left the team coach en route to a match at Aldershot last month.

Youth Team coach Mark Grew is now in temporary charge and began his reign with a 1-1 home draw against Hereford, a result which left the Potteries club 9th.

Only a stoppage time equaliser prevented a second successive defeat at Vale Park, although they do still boast one of the division's tightest home defences with just 16 goals conceded.

In strikers Marc and Justin Richards, too, Vale have two forwards in double figures this term and they are capable of giving any League Two defence a problematic afternoon.

Alan Knill and Bury are in a strong position to win promotion from League Two

Problems of their own are exactly what they will face from Bury though, who make the trip to the West Midlands with the best away record in League Two.

The Shakers have won ten and drawn four of their 19 games on the road this term, scoring 37 goals along the way.

Indeed, after successive home defeats to Torquay and Cheltenham, boss Alan Knill may well be relieved for his side to be back on their travels, where they will be seeking to keep a fourth straight clean sheet.

Knill will also be keen, after missing out on automatic promotion in 2009 on goal difference before losing in the play offs, to ensure the Lancashire side maintain the top three position they currently hold.

The Gigg Lane outfit sit four points clear of the play off positions going into the final nine games - but then they had been sitting second in 2009 with just four games remaining.

Without a doubt, the stand out man for the Shakers has been striker Ryan Lowe who recently scored in ten successive matches and is the division's top scorer having registered 23 goals.

This is a match-up between two sides who faced one another on the opening day of the campaign.

On that occasion it went the way of Vale. However, I can see Bury exactly some long awaited revenge this weekend to continue their great away record.

Nobes' Prediction: Port Vale 0 Bury 1

Big Match Analysis - Bury 3 Accrington 0

In a new strand concentrating on defending in the Football League, Turls analyses the action from our Big Match.

Bury 3-0 Accrington Stanley

Saturday October 9, Gigg Lane, (Att: 4,164)

Welcome to the first Big Match Analysis. It's going to be a hoot. Imagine slicing open a cadaver with a meat cleaver. Got that image? Good, because it'll be nothing like that.

Forget everything that CSI taught you, because this is the real world now. If I don't analyse these games then no-one will. Admittedly, it wouldn't really matter if it didn't get analysed because internet users have bigger fish to fry - like 'Do I have Bieber Fever?'

Bury took on Accrington Stanley this weekend and, fortunately, it didn't end up 0-0. The Shakers won 3-0 and looked very comfortable - even before the Stanley Knives imploded and got two men sent off.

Bury 1 Accrington 0

The Bury defender hoofed the ball as hard as he could down the pitch. These types of balls should be dealt with by any defender worth his salt. They really should be dealt with at Sunday League level.

What makes this any different to the ones that are routinely mopped up? If you look closely, you'll see the ball bounce once. This is important because it represents the exact moment when the Accy defence lost control of the situation.

The defender panics and fails to get any real contact with his header - allowing the striker to run onto the ball and smash it into the net.

You do see it a lot in modern football - defenders waiting for the ball to bounce before reacting. In this instance, it may have been difficult for the defender to reach the ball before it bounced but, if that was the case, he shouldn't be committing himself to a header that he may not reach.

The worst thing he should have done was wait for the ball to bounce a second time before hoofing it into touch.

Bury 2 Accrington 0

A little bit of novelty defending here as well. The defender fails to clear the ball quickly - allowing the striker to nip it off his toe and steal the ball.

No worries, he's on the touchline and doesn't look like he'll pose too much of a threat. Hang on a minute, what's this? A runner from deep not being followed?

The ball is slid through two defenders into the path of the darting attacker. This guy waltzes into the box and has a choice to make.

Shoot - under no pressure, but at a tight angle? Pass it to a team mate who is also under pressure but at a glorious angle? Or pass it to another team mate who is under no pressure and further away - making the pass a little more difficult?

Unsurprisingly, the attacker passed to the guy closest to him, who blammed it into the back of the net.

Ultimately, the ball should have been cleared from the beginning but, even allowing for that, Accrington were very slow to react - thus letting Bury seize the initiative and put themselves 2-0 up.

Bury 3 Accrington 0

Goalkeeper smashes the ball down the pitch in the general direction of the lone striker. It was quite accurate and deserves a little moment of applause.

Finished? Great. This time the Accrington defender was caught between two minds. At one point he thought he would let the ball bounce and then deal with it afterwards.

However, he had a sudden change of mind. Maybe he remembered what happened earlier in the game. This indecision saw him run towards the ball and before you could shout "stop" the ball had bounced past him and into the path of the grateful striker.

The defender looked like he was trying to stop it with his crotch before realising he might want to have children at a later date. If this defender is incapable of having kids, then I can only apologise.

Conclusion

The Accrington gaffer must be fuming at his team for allowing three goals to be conceded in this manner. Three stupid mistakes were punished and the mistakes could easily have been cut out.

Having said that, Stanley seemed to be very open at times, allowing Bury a lot of space down the middle. All the stats indicate Bury were dominant and the mistakes were bound to happen at some point.

Still, it doesn't entirely justify such sloppy defending.

To top off a miserable day for the Milkmen, they had two men sent off. One was for an off-the-ball incident that I didn't see, and the second for a studs-up challenge.

Obviously the players were frustrated and getting beaten so comfortably, but this is the last thing the manager would have wanted to see.

Seven goals conceded in two games. They are certainly a little bit rubbish at the back and, if they don't sort it out soon, they could find themselves getting beaten by a few more against the shining lights of the division.

Big Match Review - Bury 3 Accrington 0

Bury 3-0 Accrington Stanley

Saturday October 9, Gigg Lane, (Att: 4,164)

A first half brace from Ryan Lowe helped Bury comfortably sweep aside Lancashire rivals Accrington - who ended the game with just nine men.

Lowe opened the scoring for the hosts with just 13 minutes on the clock. After Phil Edwards failed to deal with a long ball forward, the Shakers striker pounced and showed great strength and composure to hold off the defender before placing the ball in.

That lead was doubled just before the interval when neat work down the right hand side found Lowe with the time and space in the box to sweep the ball past Ian Dunbavin and into the far corner of the Stanley net.

Alan Knill's men sealed the points just before the hour mark with a quick counter attack. Keeper Cameron Belford plucked a corner out of the air before launching a long kick downfield.

The bounce of the ball deceived Accrington defender Dean Winnard allowing Nicky Ajose to use his pace to take advantage - eventually clipping the ball over Dunbavin for the home side's third.

Things were about to get worse for John Coleman's side though when captain Andrew Proctor was dismissed for a scuffle involving Bury's Damien Mozika.

Then Jonathan Bateson also saw red after a horrible over-the-ball challenge on Kyle Bateson.

It capped a miserable afternoon for Stanley - who remain winless on the road. In-form Bury have now moved up to 4th though.

Big Match Preview

Bury vs. Accrington Stanley

Saturday October 9, 15:00, Gigg Lane

There's a tasty looking Lancashire derby between two teams riding high in League Two on Saturday as Bury and Accrington meet at Gigg Lane.

The towns are separated by just 15 miles and the clubs by just a single point - sitting in 5th and 6th respectively in the early standings.

The visitors come into the game off the back of an extraordinary 7-4 victory over Gillingham at the Crown Ground last weekend.

In contrast to their unbeaten and high-scoring home form though, Stanley have yet to win on the road and have scored just twice in their five away games.

Both of those goals came in a 2-2 draw at Stockport, where they threw away their advantage. That's one of four away draws they've registered, with stalemates being played out with Torquay, Northampton, and Oxford.

Indeed, those 0-0 draws formed part of a terrific rearguard performance at the beginning of the campaign with Accrington leaking just a single goal in their first seven matches.

It's a performance which, once again, illustrates the terrific job boss John Coleman continues to do at Stanley - despite working with one of the smallest budgets in the division.

Despite losing key players in the summer, too, particularly going forwards, the form of Sean McConville and Terry Gornell - with five and four goals respectively so far - has shown Coleman's ability to keep finding the right blend.

John Coleman continues to work miracles with Accrington

His opposite number this weekend, Alan Knill, knows all about consistent performances too. In the last two seasons the Shakers have been top seven contenders, and once again look likely to be in the play off mix.

Bury, too, enjoyed an incredible high-scoring win over Gillingham recently, with a topsy-turvy encounter eventually ending up 5-4 in their favour.

That remains their only home win to date, though, with draws against Rotherham, Northampton, and Hereford accompanying an opening day defeat to League Two leaders Port Vale.

The Shakers head into Saturday's game on good form being four games unbeaten. That includes impressive away wins at Cheltenham and Morecambe - ending both side's unbeaten home records in the process.

Key, once again, to their hopes has been the form of striker Ryan Lowe, whose seven goals so far put him second in the top marksmen table for the basement division.

He's ably assisted by Andy Bishop, always a threat in front of goal, and summer signing, midfielder Steven Schumacher, - both have two goals to their name.

Both these sides like to try and play the game the right way and it promises to be an entertaining as well as fiercely contested local affair.

With Bury hard to beat at home and Accrington drawing four away already, things ending all square at Gigg Lane wouldn't come as any surprise at all.

Nobes' Prediction: Bury 1 Accrington Stanley 1

Big Match Review - Bury 1 Rochdale 0

League Two

Bury 1-0 Rochdale

Monday February 1, Gigg Lane, (Att: 6,528)

Bury edged out local rivals Rochdale to move back into the automatic promotion places in League Two thanks to Ryan Lowe's late winner.

Both sides struggled to get their passing games going, but away keeper Frank Fielding had to be alert to prevent Stephen Dawson from giving the Shakers the lead.

Keith Hill's visitors began to improve after the break and missed a glorious chance to take the lead when Chris O'Grady could only shoot wide with the goal gaping.

And they were made to pay 12 minutes from time when the home side made the breakthrough. Andy Morrell slipping through Lowe to keep his composure and finish past Fielding.

Dale pressed but couldn't find a way back into the game, however, despite suffering their first defeat in 13 they remain seven points clear at the top of the table.

Big Match Preview

League Two

Bury vs. Rochdale

Monday February 1, 19:45, Gigg Lane

Few games in League Two have been bigger this season and when fourth-placed Bury host near neighbours, and runaway leaders, Rochdale, more than local bragging rights will be at stake.

Dale, beaten in the play-offs in the last two seasons, have been in scintilating form as they have stormed to the top of the basement division this term.

Keith Hill's side have a ten point lead at the summit, and a goal difference of +33 dwarves any other in the league. Their 13 match unbeaten run has left the Spotland outfit looking on course for a first promotion since 1969.

However, their 36-year spell in the lowest tier of the Football League could be set to end in title winning glory, and a win on Monday evening would complete a double over their Lancashire rivals.

Dale's success has been built on an abundance of attacking options with strikers Chris O'Grady and Chris Dagnall notching 15 and 14 goals respectively so far this term.

With young talent like Joe Thompson, and the bargain summer recruit of centre half Craig Dawson, the attractive football and skill of Hill's side has unsurprisingly caught the attention of bigger clubs

The club are determined to resist offers for Dawson though and, having sold Will Buckley to Watford this week, the rest of the squad should be kept together to finally deliver the most anticipated of all promotions.

All of which means that local rivals Bury will be desperate to put a spanner in the works of Dale's promotion charge, as well as further their own hopes for elevation from the basement division.

Shakers boss Alan Knill is mounting another promotion campaign

Like their neighbours, the Shakers were losers in the end of season play-offs last May, and appeared to suffer a hangover as they got off to a slow start this campaign.

Six points from their opening seven games was not the start fans had been expecting, however, Alan Knill's men have only lost three games since.

And, after winning their last three matches - including a win at high-flying Bournemouth, the Shakers rose into the automatic promotion places for the first time this season, before slipping to fourth in midweek.

Their form at Gigg Lane has also improved - unbeaten in eight, including six wins. It's a marked improvement from their opening four games - all lost without scoring.

Most pleasing to Knill will be the fact his side's improvement has come without the services of injured striker Andy Bishop, last season's top marksmen, with the form of forwards Ryan Lowe and Mike Jones covering his loss.

It promises to be a highly entertaining clash therefore between two sides in top-form, and with great attacking talent on show.

Dale are flying and should certainly secure promotion and probably the League Two title this season, but perhaps they're due a loss?

It can often be the way too that local rivals always seem to prove a stumbling block - even for the very best sides - and Bury just might be that to Rochdale.

Nobes' Prediction: Bury 2 Rochdale 1