Accrington Stanley vs. Bury - Reported by Hannah Ingram at the Crown Ground

Whilst the wintery weather hadn't been kind to Bury, Stanley came into today's game on the back of a recent winning run. Bury's last game was away at Dagenham in mid December, and two game postponements later, the Shakers travel up the road to Accrington to face the side which dumped them out of the JPT in November. Adding to that, Bury's stuttering start at home this season saw Accrington take three points from Gigg Lane, so today's third meeting with Stanley this year looked tasty from the start, especially with both sides eyeing the playoff positions.

Symes ran across the Bury backline on 4 minutes, eventually passing to McConvilleon the right who won a corner. Taken from the right, the ball skimmed in front of goal with no red shirts in the right place to finish the chance, and Bury moved the ball upfield. Newey crossed from the left hand side for the Shakers moments later after Buchanan had made his way forward with the ball, but Stanley cleared their lines and took the ball forward. Joyce sent in another skimming corner on 7 minutes, only for none of the Accrington players to make contact.

McConville tested Wayne Brown on 9 minutes with a shot across goal, only to see it go well wide. After winning a free kick on 11 minutes following a foul from Sodje, Robert Grant took it upon himself to send the ball high and wide of the net from just outside the box.

GOAL! Stanley took the lead in calamitous fashion on 14 minutes after Wayne Brown was clearing the ball, only to kick it into the back of Symes who was stood a few feet from him. This left Symes with an empty net and a loose ball to collect as Bury stood waiting for a referee's offside decision that never came.

Stanley 1 Shakers 0

BBM took a Bury free kick on 17 minutes, rolling it into the box for Lowe, but Stanley were quick to pounce and clear the threat.

Yellow card for Stanley on 18 minutes - James Ryan

Bury won a free kick just outside the box on 21 minutes after creating a forward move with the aid of Dawson. He was eventually brought down by Luke Joyce as he worked his way into the box from the right. The free kick came to nothing as Lowe powered the ball into the Accrington wall.

Yellow card for Stanley on 21 minutes - Luke Joyce

It was panic stations in the Bury box on 27 minutes as yet another dangerous cross went begging for Accrington. Their attacks were having the desired effect on Bury, causing errors from Wayne Brown whilst the rest of the players had to perform hasty defending. Bury came close to bringing things level on 28 minutes after Worrall picked up the loose ball on the left wing and crossed for the waiting Ryan Lowe, but he shot straight at Bouzanis in the Stanley goal.

Bury won a corner on 30 minutes courtesy of Andy Morrell working hard on the right wing. Sent in by BBM, it was initially cleared back to him, who then passed to Jones near the corner flag, but his cross came to nothing as Stanley cleared to the left. Bury had a penalty appeal turned down on 36 minutes after Morrell was brought down in the box, much to the dismay of captain Dawson and Ryan Lowe. Dawson powered forward with the ball moments later, crossing to the head of Lowe whose effort bounced across the goal.

Jones forced a save from Bouzanis on 40 minutes after Bury put together slick attacking play, culimating with Dawson feeding the ball to Jones on the right of the net. His shot was strong but Bouzanis pulled a reaction save out of the bag to keep Stanley's lead. A quick counter attack from Stanley on 43 minutes saw McConville cross across the goal to Grant who wasted his chance to double their tally before half time.

Two minutes of additional time were indicated by the fourth official as Bury tried to keep possession. A dangerous cross from Worrall forced Kempson to head the ball high into the air, only for it to fall for Jones whose header lacked pace and was left for Bouzanis to gather.

Half Time - Stanley 1 Shakers 0

Both sides returned to the field with no changes made.

Yellow card for Bury on 46 minutes - Efe Sodje

James Ryan tried a low and dangerous cross on 49 minutes but nobody connected with it, giving Bury the goal kick.

GOAL! Bury brought things level on 52 minutes after a resurgent performance after the break. Dawson had started numerous attacks before Morrell crossed for Jones waiting in front of goal who drilled the ball into the back of the net, sending the cold travelling Shakers behind the net wild.

Stanley 1 Shakers 1

GOAL! Bury scored their second goal in two minutes almost from the restart as they powered forward once more. This time it was Andy Morrell left with space in front of goal to power the ball home and give Bury the lead for the first time in the game. The last time these sides met here it was end to end stuff, and this was turning out to be no different.

Stanley 1 Shakers 2

Ryan Lowe took on the Stanley defence single-handedly on 59 minutes, after Dawson's pass was initially handballed forward into his path. Lowe took a shot once he got into the box, only to watch Bouzanis gather the ball with ease.

Substitution for Stanley on 62 minutes - Billy Kee on for Luke Joyce

GOAL! McConville brought things level on 68 minutes after Bury failed to clear the ball as it was passed around the box by Billy Kee. McConville latched onto the loose ball on the right of the box and rounded Brown to walk the ball into the net.

Stanley 2 Shakers 2

Dawson worked hard to bring the ball forward on the left hand side on 73 minutes, eventually gaining a corner on the right hand side. Taken by BBM, it was initially cleared by Kempson but it looked to be heading towards goal so Symes cleared the danger again for another corner.

GOAL! Bury took the lead for the second time on 74 minutes from the resulting corner. Taken again by BBM on the right, it was aimed towards the head of Sodje who powered a header goalbound only to see it blocked. The loose ball fell to Morrell waiting in front of goal who finished from close range.

Stanley 2 Shakers 3

Substitution for Bury on 78 minutes - Danny Racchi on for David Worrall

Symes had a penalty appeal turned down on 80 minutes after the referee judged there to have been no contact made.

Substitution for Stanley on 81 minutes - John Miles on for Sean McConville

Yellow card for Stanley on 83 minutes - Billy Kee

James Ryan saw a long range effort go just over the bar on 85 minutes after a period of hot-tempered play which saw Sodje taken off all the Stanley fans' Christmas card lists for next year. The schoolboy offside trap came into play on 89 minutes as Bury walked forward to deem everyone in red offside.

Five minutes of additional time were indicated by the fourth official as Grant tried a shot from the left of the box only to see Buchanan block it with his left foot.

GOAL! Bury were awarded a penalty in the dying moments after Lowe was judged to have been pulled back in the box. It seemed controversial to Accrington after they had penalty appeals turned down, but only the referee knows why he gave it. Lowe took the penalty himself, and made no mistake, powering the ball into the net.

Stanley 2 Shakers 4

Lowe ran forward with moments to go, launching a curling long range effort goal-bound, only to see it bounce on top of the net.

The referee soon called time on a hot-tempered Lancashire derby. The temperature certainly rose in the second half when Bury brought the game to Stanley. Two goals in two minutes added the spice, but Stanley still have their never-say-die attitude and brought things level. In an end-to-end game, Bury weren't yet finished, taking the lead once more and then sealing victory with a penalty in the closing stages.

Accrington will feel aggrieved with the referee as they fell foul to most of his controversial decisions, but it's the Shakers who take their share of the spoils back to Gigg Lane after playing on an icy pitch. It was an exciting game for the neutral, ending with another away win for Bury to add to their tally.

Full Time - Stanley 2 Shakers 4

Attendance - 3138

kmBury:Wayne Brown, David Buchanan, Ben Futcher, Stephen Dawson (c), Brian Barry-Murphy, Michael Jones, Ryan Lowe, Efe Sodje, Andy Morrell, David Worrall, Tom Newey

Subs:Paul Scott, Richie Baker, Danny Racchi, Cameron Belford, David Thomspon, Max Harroop

Accrington Stanley: Dean Bouzanis, Darran Kempson, Andy Proctor, Luke Joyce, Robert Grant, Phillip Edwards, James Ryan, Dean Winnard, Sean McConville, Michael Symes, Tom Lees

Subs:Ian Dunbavin, Peter Murphy, John Miles, John Mullin, Gary King, Johnny Flynn, Billy Kee