Bury 1, Port Vale 0

THIS had all the makings of a thrilling, nail-biting final day of the season.

The adrenalin was pumping, the transistor radios were dusted down. Everyone connected with Bury Football Club was anticipating an emotional rollercoaster of an afternoon.

Could Bury win? Could Crystal Palace do as they promised in last week's Bury Times and give QPR a game? Sadly, only the Shakers held up their part of the bargain as Palace's woeful capitulation handed survival to their London neighbours and condemned Neil Warnock's side to a drop back into Division Two after just two seasons with the 'big boys.'

The special occasion of the season's final match was effectively over after just 10 minutes as news filtered through of Rangers' first strike at Loftus Road.

It quashed the hopes of the expectant crowd and killed the Gigg Lane atmosphere - the only noise coming from the packed Port Vale end and their cajoling supporters.

Clearly aware of the blow - along with each of the five nails in the coffin which followed - the Bury players refused to lie down.

Knowing that their fairytale journey was over must have crushed each of them, none more so than the likes of stalwarts Chris Lucketti, Dean Kiely, Nick Daws and Dean West who knew this was to be their swan song.

All credit must go, therefore, to every player for having the pride to dig deep and pull the three points out of the bag. As one would expect, it was not pretty football.....events at Loftus Road put paid to that.....but it was enough to breach a stern five-man Vale defence which failed in its bid to be crowned the day's party-poopers - that honour fell to Crystal Palace!

A mostly uneventful first half saw Alan Lee fire over the bar within 60 seconds of the start and Paul Barnes denied a jab at goal by Neil Aspin when West's cross was headed dangerously beyond the 'keeper by Laurent D'Jaffo.

Alex Smith brought a fine save out of Kiely on 25 minutes when he capped a great run with a curling shot from outside the box.

Two minutes earlier Carl Serrant, playing his final game for the Shakers before an expected move to Premiership newboys Bradford, was alert to clear the ball off the line when Kiely was caught out.

The second half offered slightly more entertainment for the down-hearted fans.

What looked a certain and deliberate handball by Aspin in the Vale box six minutes from the restart was amazingly waved away by referee John Kirkby.

This lifted the Bury players, though, who began to surge forward in search of justice. They thought they had found it three minutes later when Darren Bullock headed Daws' ball into the back of the net, only to be adjudged offside.

The midfield hardman was at the centre of the excitement on 64 minutes too when he charged in to the defence of teammate West who had been viciously hacked down by Tommy Widdrington.

'Bulldog' charged in to grab the offender by the throat after he dispicably retaliated to West's foul. The Vale man was rightly dismissed with West and Bullock seeing yellow cards for their part in the melee.

It was fitting, though, that West should turn out to be the goal hero soon after.

It came from another of those accurate Serrant crosses, which will be badly missed next season, as West nodded home at the far post.

Whilst securing a 10th win of the season, his header was, in truth, academic.

By this time, the only goals being talked about amongst the Shakers faithful were those 200 miles away.

If only we played to the same rules as the Premiership.

Had goal difference decided the fate of the four sides locked on 47 points, it would have been Vale heading through the trap door instead.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.