Bury 1 - Crewe Alexandra 2

(Crewe win 4-3 on aggregate)

IT isn't often fans give their team a rousing ovation after a first round cup defeat but that was the scenario at Gigg Lane last night.

The Shakers may have bowed out 4-3 on aggregate to their First Division opponents but they thrilled the 2,106 paying customers with the kind of attacking performance that has seen them storm to the lofty reaches of the Second Division.

In truth, the neutral observer would have been left wondering just who were the team from the higher division.

Two pieces of slack defending proved their undoing in the final reckoning and Andy Preece's men were left counting the cost of a host of missed chances.

It could have been so different had the Shakers capitalised on man-of-the-moment Darren Bullock's sixth minute penalty conversion, awarded after Nigerian international Efe Sodje upended Bhaichung Bhutia in the box.

Bullock's fiercely driven effort was his fourth goal in five games and should have given the home side a superb springboard to seal the tie.

But eight minutes later Alex levelled after Paul Reid's misplaced clearance was intercepted and Kevin Street crossed into the box for the unmarked Mark Rivers to head past Paddy Kenny into the corner.

Still the Shakers pushed forward and continued to create openings. Bullock had a stinging drive saved just inside the post by Jason Kearton, Chris Swailes headed a Reid free-kick into the side netting and then Reid himself cracked a powerful shot on the turn that just cleared the Crewe bar after good work from Ady Littlejohn and Bhutia.

The cost of those misses became evident three minutes after the restart when Dario Gradi's men took the lead for the first time in the tie.

A superb 40 yard ball out of defence by Kenny Lunt caught the Bury defence on the hop.

Neil Sorvel cut in from the right and played a ball into the box, Sam Collins stretched to clear but failed the connect and it fell to former Hyde United ace Colin Little who had time to lash home his first goal of the season.

Undaunted the Shakers still pressed forward playing delightful football and Bullock almost added his and his side's second in the 67th minute when he raced clear down the left but his angled drive beat both Kearton and the far post.

Then three minutes later came the 'Champagne moment' of the game.

There seemed little danger when Bhutia took possession of the ball just outside the Crewe penalty area but he audaciously played a ball through the legs of Steve McAuley before hitting a curling right foot effort that just shaved the post.

Had it gone in it would have been a contender for goal of the season!

Ten minutes later the Indian raced from the halfway line before slipping the ball inside to Littlejohn whose powerful first time effort was saved by Kearton at the second attempt.

In a desperate attempt to take the tie into extra time Bury pushed everyone forward in the closing minutes and it almost paid off two minutes into stoppage time when Swailes connected with a Reid cross from eight yards but only found the grateful arms of Kearton.