Bury 0 Swindon Town 3 by Steve Canavan

JUST three weeks into the season and Andy Preece is facing his first crisis.

Not only is his team playing poorly but he suddenly seems to be having problems with the players off the pitch.

The manager is upset with the attitude of certain squad members and after watching his team slide to a Bank Holiday horror show defeat against Roy Evans' Swindon, Preece did not mince his words.

"Some of our players have got to grow up," stated Preece. "Sometimes they're just like big babies. They get left out of the side and they go around sulking and moaning. Then when they get back in the side they don't do any better than anyone else.

"We were so poor and flat throughout and there are a few players out there playing in the comfort zone.

"I've had a go at a few after the game and maybe they will think about it tonight rather than go out, have a few drinks and celebrate losing.

"I don't celebrate losing. It hurts me but I just wonder how much it hurts some of the players.

"It's about time they started hurting."

Let's hope Preece gets it sorted for at the moment Bury look like a team going in only one direction - and it is not upwards.

The Shakers have never been blessed with an abundance of skill and flair but they have always had fight and passion.

Yesterday they didn't even have that.

Preece dropped four players from the side that lost at Huddersfield but it didn't stop Swindon ripping Bury apart in clinical fashion.

The inspiration for the Robins' win came from strikers Joe Kaffour (top scorer in Arsenal's reserve team last year) and Eric Sabin, signed from French Second Division side Wasquehall.

Both were on top form, linking up well and embarrassing the home side's defence on several occasions.

The Shakers though started brightly. Baichung Bhutia in particular looked good but there were soon signs of things to come as Paddy Kenny was forced to make two superb stops, first a Matt Hewlett curler and then saving when Sabin was clean through on goal.

Bury's best chance came and went in the 37th minute, Matt Murphy blasting a volley over the bar on his full debut.

Two minutes after the break Kaffour bundled home Sabin's cross and despite three substitutions from Preece and various tinkering of tactics, the home side never looked like equalising.

Swindon went two ahead when Sabin burst clear and was allegedly brought down by Unsworth in the area. The full back, who had only been on the pitch for nine minutes, was dismissed by referee Mark Clattenburg and Keith O'Halloran fired home the penalty.

Unsworth was unlucky to walk as he seemed to make a legitimate tackle. At least it prompted 10-men Bury to briefly come to life as Gareth Seddon and Sam Collins had headers well saved. But the visitors made it a rout late on as David Duke ran half the pitch to round Kenny and score a fine goal.

BURY: KENNY 7, Barrass 5, Collins 5, Redmond 5, Nelson 6, Reid 5, Bullock 5, Murphy 5, Billy 5, Bhutia 6, Newby 6. Subs: Jarrett (for Reid 50), Unsworth (for Bullock 62), Seddon (for Redmond 67), Preece, Swailes. BOOKINGS: Bury: Bhutia 81 (dissent). SENDING OFF: Unsworth 71 (foul). ATT: 3,202.