Alan Knill rang the changes at Field Mill with Colin Woodthorpe missing from the 16 and on loan Adam Rooney reverting to the bench. David Buchanan started replacing Woodthorpe whilst Glynn Hurst came in for Rooney. With a blustery wind screaming across the Field Mill pitch, the home side got the game underway and almost immediately, Barry-Murphy got the ball towards the Stags box only for Hurst to stumble allowing Mullins to clear. Bury had set off flying.
A Bury corner on two minutes saw Barry-Murphy's in swinging corner strongly cleared by Jake Buxton. The home side took their first corner moments later but the swirling wind seemed to send the ball out of play for a Bury goal kick. A second Mansfield corner saw Mickey Boulding fire the ball at goal, but Darren Randolph was acrobatic in tipping the ball over the bar for a third Mansfield corner. Former Shakers target Matt Hamshaw used the wind to his advantage on six minutes with a pinpoint delivery into the path of Jefferson Louis, but an awkward bounce of the ball saw Randolph smartly off his line to collect the loose ball.
Both sides struggled with the blustery winds with long balls falling short and short balls going far too long. A good run from Elliott Bennett on ten minutes saw his ball through to Bishop fall short as the Shakers leading scorer was flagged offside. David Buchanan almost let Mansfield in on 16 minutes when his attempted back pass to Darren Randolph fell very short of its intended target, Jefferson Louis charged for the ball but thankfully Randolph was just a tad quicker and managed to get the ball clear.
Elliott Bennett began to cause problems to the home side around 20 minutes into the game with his constant raiding down the flank, but good defending from Mansfield, in particular Gareth Jellyman, saw most of his balls into the box cleared. A Matt Hamshaw cross into the box on 22 minutes caused the Bury defence problems, but Efe Sodje managed to get his bandana'ed head to the ball to push it out for a corner. The home side began to turn the screw on 25 minutes with Hamshaw especially getting balls into the box, a good block by Dave Challinor saw the ball knocked forward to Hurst. His precision pass to Andy Bishop saw the Bury striker fire the ball at goal, just missing the target by inches.
A Dave Challinor long throw on 28 minutes saw Sodje flick the ball to the back stick, as Hurst fell to the floor, a vociferous appeal for a penalty fell on deaf ears whilst the referee pointed for a Bury corner. BBM's delivery though was wasted as Muggleton was fouled by Andy Bishop. Another Bennett cross on 34 minutes seemed to be heading to the head of Bishop, but for Muggleton's intervention, the ball would have found its target giving Bishop a better chance of getting the ball on target. A Barry-Murphy free kick on 36 minutes fell to the feet of Hurst, his quick pass wide to Adams though brought a good clearance from the home defence.
Mansfield Town should have taken the lead on 39 minutes when Hamshaw got the ball to Boulding, his return ball to Hamshaw saw the ball whipped into the box where Jefferson Louis headed wide from two yards out with Randolph firmly beaten. Bury should have taken the lead moments later when Efe Sodje whipped a superb ball into the box, that along with a little wind assistance, flew across the face of goal and out of play for a home goal kick.
Half Time: Mansfield Town 0 Bury 0
Mansfield Town started the second period slightly brighter with Will Atkinson having an excellent chance from a good shot, but his effort just drifted wide of the goal.Moments later the Stags went closer when Briggs drilled the ball at goal, but watched as the ball smacked off the bottom of the post and out of play for a home corner via a Bury foot.
Bury had a good chance moments later when a drifting ball to the back post saw Barry-Murphy loop a good header just over the target and onto the roof of the net.Two minutes later and Jake Buxton stepped off Glynn Hurst allowing the Shakers striker to head the ball directly at Muggleton.
The end to end game switched back to Mansfield moments later when Jefferson Louis headed the ball at goal, his effort brought another excellent save from Randolph who pushed the ball out for a corner.From the resulting corner, the ball fell to Jake Buxton and his first shot brought another superb stop from Randolph, this time though the Shakers keeper couldn't divert the ball to safety and Buxton followed up to smack the ball into the back of the net to give the home side the lead.
Goal: Mansfield Town 1 Bury 0 (Jake Buxton 56)
Efe Sodje seemed to be going through a spell on a one man mission to keep the scoreline down with a string of good tackles, blocks and clearances. One effort went out for a corner that was quickly cleared by Challinor, but as quickly as it was cleared, the ball came straight back again but eventually collected by the impressive Darren Randolph. Mansfield should have doubled their lead on 63 minutes when a long clearance saw Atkinson collect the ball in spce, but his effort on goal was wasted with a weak effort.
A last ditch clearance by Gareth Jellyman moments later again frustrated the Shakers, with four players charging into the box for the loose ball, the Stags defender manager to fumble the ball away and out of danger. Moments later, Shakers skipper Paul Scott stung the hands of Carl Muggleton with a rasping drive at goal that the keeper managed to get away to safety. A Bury free kick 27 minutes into the second half saw Jonathan D'Laryea head the ball away and out for a Bury corner. Bennett's inswinging corner was cleared by Woods and quickly returned. Bishops header was again pushed clear with Mickey Boulding charing after the loose ball before the referee brought play back for a Bury free kick. Barry-Murphy's delivery was lofted into the box and easily caught by the home keeper.
Elliott Bennett started a Bury move on 70 minutes when his pace ridden run saw him jink past two challenges before he played the ball to Paul Scott, with Efe Sodje screaming for the ball on the edge of the box, the on loan defender fired the ball at goal and brought another good save from Muggleton. The Stags keeper was leading a charmed life when moments later he tipped off a stunning Paul Scott drive and away for another Bury corner, from that corner the ball fell to Sodje who blazed the ball high over the bar.
With just eight minutes left on the clock, the Shakers got back into the game when a high lofted ball into the box was met with a clever overhead kick by Rooney to deceive Muggleton to get Bury back into the game.
Goal: Mansfield Town 1 Bury 1 (Adam Rooney 84)
With three minutes of the game left, a Nicky Adams ball into the box saw Andy Bishop control before firing at goal but his effort was cleared by a Stags defender. With Bury asking all the questions as the game came to a finish, the home side defended with heart as the minutes ticked down.
Bury: Darren Randolph, David Buchanan, David Challinor, Efetobore Sodje, Steven Haslam, Nicky Adams, Brian Barry-Murphy, Paul Scott, Elliott Bennett, Glynn Hurst (Rooney 80), Andy Bishop
On the Bench: Richie Baker, Jim Provett, Simon Yeo, Andy Parrish, Adam Rooney
Mansfield Town: Carl Muggleton, Gareth Jelleyman, Jake Buxton, Johnny Mullins, Chris Wood, Will Atkinson, Keith Briggs, Jonathan D'Laryea, Matthew Hamshaw, Michael Boulding, Jefferson Louis
On the Bench: Simon Brown, Jason White, Nathan Arnold, Ian Holmes, John McAliskey
Gate: 1,923 (206 from Bury)
