RIP-roaring Shakers were poised for promotion and on course to snatch the Third Division title when their superb, eleventh away win of the season - just one away from the club's all-time record created in 1961 - kept them in third place and also pushed them to within three points of leaders Gillingham who, in turn, are a single point ahead of Preston North End. With the trio still having only three games left to play the scene is set for a grandstand finalM-N, and form team Bury may well come through on the rails to take the championship.

But even after Tuesday night's convincing win at Scunthorpe's Glanford Park Stadium manager Stan Ternent was keeping his feet firmly on the ground, offering the opinion that Bury don't yet have sufficient points to guarantee promotion.

"I'm not interested in what other clubs are doing. There are still nine points to play for and we want to get as many of them as possible," he said.

One suspects the manager was more voluble at half-time, for although Bury had defended well they never looked like being winners as Mark Carter played a lone role up front.

But all that changed after the break with David Johnson sent forward to join Carter and skipper David Pugh freed from a left back role which had stifled Bury's attacking options.

For corners in as many minutes had the 500 or so visiting fans shouting their heads off.

Johnson excitedly blazed one shot over the angle and after 61 minutes Michael Jackson ran in to meet a Dean West flag kick and open the scoring with a bullet-like header.

Four minutes later and it was as good as ever. Pugh centred from the left, Carter flicked the ball on and Johnson surged beyond Paul Wilson before launching himself full length to beat 'keeper Gary Germaine with a spectacular diving header.

The Shakers twice went close before Max Nicholson powerfully headed the iron back into the reckoning with six minutes left to play.

But it was cock-a-hoop Bury who almost had the last word as Carter slipped the ball round Germaine but just didn't have the speed to beat Russell Bradley to it, as it rolled agonisingly slowly towards an empty net!

BURY: Bracey, West, Hughes, Daws, Lucketti, Jackson, Brabin, Carter, Johnson (Sertori 70 mins), Johnrose, Pugh. Subs: Matthewson, Stant.

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