Bury vs. Grimsby Town - Reported by Hannah Ingram at Gigg Lane

Following their commanding win at Hereford on Tuesday night, the Shakers went into this game with high hopes. Their recent good run of form had made the defeat on the opening day of the season a mere memory. After what was one of Bury's best second half performances in a long time at Hereford, the Shakers looked more like the side who earned themselves a play-off place last season after narrowly missing out on the automatic promotion places. Grimsby have had no such luck so far this season, remaining without points thus far as they arrived at Gigg Lane. The Mariners struggled last season but kept their place in the football league.

Grimsby had the brighter start, winning a free kick just outside the box inside the first minute after North was upended. Leary sent in a curling shot which made it over the Bury wall and forced Brown to get down low to block. Bury felt aggrieved on two minutes after Robertson seemed to have been bustled over inside the box but referee Mr Booth disagreed. Bury held possession well, and on eight minutes, BBM sent a curling free kick into the box from the right hand side, which seemed destined for Paul Scott, but he sent it well wide for a goal kick.

Grimsby thought they'd taken the lead on ten minutes after Brown seemed to drop a catch from a Grimsby cross. Referee Mr Booth judged North to have fouled Brown in order for him to drop the ball, and the resulting close range finish was disallowed. Jaime Clark tried his luck from outside the box on 17 minutes after a clever cross from Sweeney on the left hand side, but it sailed well over the bar.

GOAL! Grimsby took the lead on 20 minutes after North latched onto a clearance from Bury on the right hand side of the box. After the Bury backline failed to clear the threat, Conlon had a simple chance to head in the ball from five yards. It was a blow the Shakers didn't need after a period of sustained possession and movement.

Shakers 0 Mariners 1

The ref awarded Bury a free kick on 31 minutes after eventually noticing Stockdale's pulling back of Jones as he went for a run down the left wing. BBM sent it into the box, before it was cleared by Grimsby, to the feet of Dawson whose long range effort was well wide. A clever little flick from Robertson set Jones off down the wing again on 34 minutes, and as he sent a looping cross into the box for Lowe, it was far too high for him and was easily gathered by Forecast.

There were sarcastic cheers from the Bury fans on 35 minutes as the referee penalised Atkinson for fouling Worrall; it wasn't the first time! Worrall then came close to equalising on 38 minutes from just outside the box; Tommy Forecast in the Grimsby net blocked the ball but left it in the path of Robertson, but the resulting shot was saved by Forecast. Worrall was back again once more on 40 minutes with a neat cross aiming for the head of Robertson, who looping header made Forecast scramble backwards but the ball bounced on the top of the net.

Yellow card for Grimsby on 42 minutes - Peter Sweeney

Robertson came agonisingly close to squaring things up as the fourth official indicated two minutes of added time. Some good build-up play left Lowe to head the ball across the box to Robertson, who stood up well, and fired across the net and just wide of the bar post. Bury tried again moments later, making their way through the Grimsby defence, and leaving Jones with time and space to tee one up. He beat one defender and then only had to beat the keeper, but his resulting shot was blocked.

The referee called time on the first half as Bury moved forward again, seeming hungry to make things all square. Bury had more chances in the final stages of the first half after their confidence was undoubtedly shaken by Grimsby taking the lead earlier in the game. Bury still looked strong however, and seemed determined not to give in.

Half Time - Shakers 0 Mariners 1

Both sides returned to the field with no substitutions made. Jones looked keen to replicate his free kick goal from Hereford on 47 minutes after a foul on Worrall was rewarded with a free kick outside the box. BBM and Jones both stood over it but it was Jones took it, and sent it well over the bar. Whilst Bury lined up for the free kick, David Buchanan was lying on his back on the halfway line struggling in pain. After some attention from the physio and trying to walk off the pain which seemed to be in his back, Alan Knill decided to bring him off. For a player who played every minute of every game last season, this must have been a real blow.

Substitution for Bury on 48 minutes - Ryan Cresswell on for David Buchanan

Jones was obstructed by Stockdale on 52 as he ran at the Grimsby goal, winning a free kick in the process, ten yards outside the box. Robertson took this one, only to see it blocked by the Grimsby wall. The rebounded ball was collected by Jones, and made his way into the box to line up a shot which was eventually wide of the left post. A stunning cross-field ball from Cresswell on 54 minutes reached Worrall on the far side of the box, who sent in a cross that was blocked but into the path of Jones. After some attempts on goal, the ball was left with Lowe who thought he was fouled in the box, but the referee disagreed.

A strong throw in from Cresswell on 62 minutes set up Worrall on the edge of the box with space to move. He looped the ball over the Grimsby back line looking for the head of Lowe but it was cleared before he could reach it. Bury were given another free kick on 65 minutes after a handball from Leary. BBM sent it to the far post looking for Scott, whose header went just over.

Substitution for Bury on 66 minutes - Danny Racchi on for Paul Scott

Danny North looked close to increasing Grimsby's lead on 66 minutes, firing a powerful shot just over the bar from the right of the box after the Bury defence didn't close him down quick enough. Andy Bishop was brought into the game with 22 minutes left, to a hero's welcome from the Bury faitful.

Substitution for Bury on 68 minutes - Andy Bishop on for Jordon Robertson

Double substitution for Grimsby on 69 minutes - Peter Bore on for Jaime Clarke, Paul Linwood on for Adam Proudlock

There was a bit of a domestic between Dawson and Sweeney on 77 minutes after Dawson was fouled, but the referee calmed things down between the pair of them before play continued.

Substitution for Grimsby on 78 minutes - Danny Boshell on for Peter Sweeney

Conlon came close to doubling his tally with ten minutes left after he controlled the ball well in front of goal; he looked certain to score form close range once more before Futcher got in a tackle and sent it out for a corner. Controversy followed as Grimsby were convinced that Sodje had handballed whilst clearing the threat from the corner, but the referee didn't agree.

Things got tense in the final five minutes of the game as Bury kept searching for their equaliser. After Grimsby had let Bury come at them for most of the half, they continued to brace forward on occasion and looked dangerous when doing so with Conlon making space easily. Bury had to play without Jones after he started hobbling in pain on 87 minutes. Having used all their subs, Jones received help from the physio on the touchline before retiring to the dugout as Bury played on with ten men.

Four minutes of added time were indicated by the fourth official as Bishop won a free kick just outside the box. BBM sent it straight into the wall before Lowe sent the ball back in to the head of Bishop who was penalised for climbing on Stockdale's shoulders. As Bury continued forward pressing for a goal, the referee called it a day. Bury will feel unlucky to have lost this match after playing reasonably well throughout the game, but lacking the finishing touch in front of goal.

To be fair to Grimsby, they did what they came to do - get points on the table. Their goal could possibly have been defended better but Conlon is at his best from close range; a real goal poacher! If you leave the goal floating in front of the net, he will finish it off more often than not. Bishop looked bright when he came on following an operation in the summer on his troubled knee and his recent hernia problems, so with any luck he will be back on form in the coming games.

Grimsby took their chance, and Bury might feel they squandered theirs when they had them. The Shakers travel to local rivals Rochdale next Saturday looking for another three points at Spotland. Rochdale had their scouts at the game and will probably be marking Worrall and Robertson as closely as Grimsby chose to do!

Full Time - Shakers 0 Mariners 1

Attendance - 2799 (365 visitors)