Plymouth woe!

PLYMOUTH' S persecuted Pilgrims received a severe verbal handbagging from boss Neil Warnock who reckoned they'd 'defended like women'.

The voluable and passionate Warnock has never been one to skirt such issues but his outburst seemed as wide of the mark as his strikers after a stirring performance that tested the Shakers to the full.

It's not by accident that Bury are unbeaten in the league at Fortress Gigg since April. In that time they have improved in every facet of their game, particularly defensively.

They can boast the lowest 'home goals against' total in the division and it was the rock-solid, back line that paved the way for a victory which moved the Shakers to within three points of the Division Two summit.

Markers Chris Lucketti and Michael Jackson managed to snuff out the twin threat of Adrian Littlejohn and Mick Evans and Paul Butler, as the spare man, mopped up the left-overs with great relish.

When the three-man, human wall was breached Dean Kiely had managed to keep warm enough to show why Plymouth were also interested in buying him before the start of the season. His finger tip save to prevent Littlejohn's 56th minute effort from creeping in at the post was of the highest class.

It was the kind of afternoon when such moments of sublime skill were in short supply, although no one could doubt the effort of the players who had to contend with a bitingly cold wind and snow and hail showers.

The freezing weather was perhaps the main reason for one of Gigg's smallest crowds of the season, though the majority were warmed almost instantly as Bury took a sixth minute lead courtesy of Mark Carter.

The goal took Carter to within one of double figures for the season and was what prompted Warnock's somewhat ill-judged, post-match remarks.

Dean West, the architect of so many chances in home games, fired over a left wing corner, David Pugh added the required near-post flick and, after Mick Heathcote had failed to clear and David Johnson had miscued an attempted back heel, Carter calmly waltzed in at the far post to end the confusion by slamming the ball into the net.

It was the signal for Bury to turn on the style with some crisp passing and movement, the highlight of which was a 20th minute move involving Carter, West, and Rob Matthews and which ended with Johnson bringing out the best in Bruce Grobbelaar.

Johnson was by far the busiest and most purposeful forward on show in the opening period and had it not been for the giant frame of Heathcote he might have doubled the advantage in the 24th minute. That effort proved something of a watershed for, despite a deal of huff and puff, Bury's best attacking moments, thereafter, came courtesy of some trademark, eccentric dashes from goal by Grobbelaar.

Plymouth, too, contributed little going forward in the latter part of the first half and didn't win their first corner of the afternoon until the 44th minute.

All the watchable action was taking place in the middle of the pitch where Plymouth captain for the day Ronnie Mauge and Lenny Johnrose fought a battle royal. The fact that neither was able to get into many threatening scoring positions was testimony to how well they both performed their respective roles.

The second half began in the same muted fashion with Grobbelaar first of the keepers called upon to do any work as he nonchalantly picked up Pugh's low drive at the foot of a post.

That effort ended Bury's attacking contribution for the day and the rest of the contest was an object lesson in how to defend a one-goal advantage.

Plymouth threw everything they had at the Shakers but Lucketti and Co stood firm until the last ten minutes when both Carlo Corazzin and Martin Barlow found some chinks of light to fire in a header and shot that both went wide by inches.

It was something of a relief when the final whistle went but the game provided further evidence that Bury have learned some lessons on the way up . . . most notably how to win when you are not at your best.

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