Latics claim derby draw

Photo: Pictures by ALAN HOWARTH

RUNNING BATTLE . . . David Dunn shows power to go alongside his finesse during this midfield duel.

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Bury 1, Athletic 1

IN THIS strange, shapeless season, at least the Athletic fans spilling out of Gigg Lane had the certainty of a Lee Croft goal to pin their happy thoughts to.

It was only worth a draw in the end, thanks to man-mountain forward Tom Pope's close-range finish for the club that has made large amounts of money appear as if from nowhere to pay battle hardened veterans of this level of the game.

Former Port Vale man Pope's goal came seconds after James Wilson – yes, James Wilson the centre-back – had charged downfield with the blinkered determination of a Grand National winner, latching on to Jonathan Forte's pass after a 60-yard dash before firing low and agonisingly wide.

At 1-1, new striker Simonas Stankevicius should have added to the one goal Darren Kelly's men managed, just as Mike Jones should have made it 2-0 at an earlier stage in the second half of an absorbing derby.

Athletic remain unbeaten – albeit with only one win – while Croft's goal remains forever in the record books. Just as Croft delighted the Boundary Park crowd 11 years ago in a 3-1 victory, here – 61 games for Athletic later – the man whose goals are as rare as sightings of Halley's Comet sent visiting fans wild in the 24th minute.

It was a calm finish, too. Not for the first time, David Dunn provided menace accepting the ball on the half-turn, and though Forte's touch deserted him a little, he was able to turn the ball back for Joseph Mills to hang a cross to the far post. Croft caressed a low volley across Bury goalkeeper Rob Lainton and in, with a slight deflection on the way.

Shorn of injured skipper Liam Kelly, Athletic's manager made just one change to the side that had drawn 1-1 with Shrewsbury. Timothee Dieng moved up to cover for Kelly - to good effect - with Connor Brown reverting to right-back and Mills returning to the opposite flank.

New signings Mark Yeates and Stankevicius were both included on the bench and both added a different dimension as substitutes.

Athletic had the upper hand in the first half. Absorbing what increasingly became a stream of long diagonal balls aimed at Pope's forehead, a 20-yard free-kick from Chris Hussey which whistled a foot or so wide after a deflection was the only real effort at goal Bury could muster.

That said, Brown may, with a referee less lenient than Roger East, have conceded a 42nd-minute penalty.

Danny Rose, a lively and hard-working presence up front for the Shakers, went down as Brown ran into him from behind, but the contact seemed minimal.

Bury started the second half well. Only top-class defending from Wilson stopped Rose getting a shot on the end of Joe Riley's centre and Andrew Tutte and Tom Soares hammered shots not far wide of Joel Coleman's goal.

The 62nd minute provided Jones with his big chance. Dieng made a positive burst down the right and his cross bounced off a defender into the midfield man's path. His finish was well-hit, but he couldn't prevent the ball rising too quickly and it landed among the Athletic supporters.

Wilson's chance came after a counter-attack led by Forte saw him clean through down the middle. He was a little unlucky not to find the net, his shot beating Lainton but also taking a coat of paint off the keeper's left-hand post.

Athletic found some strength and a Jones cross deflected across goal without a touch no more than four yards out, and Stankevicius could have made himself a hero with seven minutes of normal time to go. His shot was a tame one, 12 yards out, and was blocked by Lainton.

There is surely more to come both from him and from this Athletic side.