The Shakers took to Gigg Lane for the first of their four home pre-season games, against today's visitors Burnley. The Shakers, looking resplendent in their new strip, which saw the return of their traditional colours of White shirts, Royal Blue shorts and Royal Blue socks kicked off the match on a pristine pitch but it wasn't long before the Championship new boys from just up the A56 forced the first corner of the game on two minutes which was easily cleared by Bury's new number one 'keeper Cameron Belford.
In a first half which was saw four new Shakers, Joe Skarz, Andy Haworth and the new midfield pairing of Peter Sweeney and Steven Schumacher, make their debuts alongside trialist, former Rotherham United man, Mark Lynch, at right back it was clear to see that Burnley have lost none of the class that saw them promoted to the Premiership the season before last.
The Clarets, buoyed by several players with international experience, showed their undoubted talents but Bury were giving as good as they got in the opening exchanges with some good interchange play on right hand side of the box between Sweeney, Schumacher and Bishop leading to Andy Haworth firing across Brian Jensen's goal.
Burnley came close on a couple of occasions with wingers Wade Elliott and Ross Wallace causing Lynch and new boy Joe Skarz problems on both flanks. However, it was Andy Bishop who next came closest to breaking the deadlock when he fired narrowly wide after Lynch cleverly robbed Wallace and drew the full back wide. The space opened up for Bishop and his shot from the edge of the box skidded just past the diving Dane's right hand post
It was Burnley's turn to come close next when Jay Rodriguez was put through one on one by the energetic McCann but Belford was equal to the shot which he turned round the post for a Burnley corner. The corner, however, was easily cleared by the impressive Andy Haworth's header. The young signing from Blackburn looked impressive in his first forty five minutes in the Glorious White Shakers shirt.
The Shakers continued to press the Burnley defence and following some good work on the left hand side by Worrall the ball found its way to Sodje and his curling cross was met by Bishop's volley but the front man, playing in an unfamiliar 4-5-1 formation, was just off side.
It was the Clarets, however, who finally broke the deadlock, when Scottish winger Ross Wallace beat Lynch to the ball and fired a low angled shot across Cameron Belford into the far corner of the net. GOAL: Bury 0 - 1 Burnley. Wallace 34 minutes.
The Clarets poured forward in search of a second and a mistake by left back Joe Skarz allowed Elliott to feed the ball to Steven Thompson but the former Rangers man hit his shot wide.
The industrious Steven Schumacher gave away a free kick 20 yards out but which the ever dangerous Wallace fired over the wall and Belford managed to grab the ball after the initial shot was parried.
For a friendly there were some tasty tackles going in and after Bishop turned Bikey he was pulled back by the Cameroonian which would have earned a yellow card in a League game and Sodje's challenge on Wallace may also have earned more than a rebuke from referee Jon Moss in a League encounter.
It was the visitors who increased their lead when Rodriguez intercepted a misplaced pass and fed the ball wide to Elliott whose cross was headed down by Rodriguez and Thompson poked the ball home from 12 yards under the advancing Belford. GOAL 45 THOMPSON
Half time Bury 0 - 2 Burnley.
The second half got under way with Burnley boss Brian Laws showed the difference in his playing budget by making no less than 9 changes at Half Time including four full internationals and two former under 21 caps to Bury's three with Bishop, Haworth and Jones replaced by Danny Carlton, Ryan Lowe and our old boy Simon Whaley who is here on trial.
It was good work by Simon Whaley which allowed David Worrall to create the first real chance of the half when he cut in from the left wing and get off a strong shot from the edge of the area which Jensen held albeit at the second attempt. The Shakers also came close when Ryan Lowe played Danny Carlton in and the big frontman's shot was deflected wide by Marney for a corner.
On 65 minutes it was Alan Knill's turn to make wholesale changes to his line up with Jermaine Johnson (on trial from Derby County), trialist Lennel John-Lewis (ex Lincoln City), Kenny Strickland (ex-Chelsea and ManchesterUnited), Alexis (a former Spanish under 19 international), Andrai Jones, Kyle Bennett (ex-Wolves and brother of former Shakers loanee Elliott Bennett) and Duane Samuels (ex-West Bromwich Albion) replacing Skarz, Sweeney, Schumacher, Worrall, Sodje, Futcher and Lynch.
Barely two minutes later, Clarets manager Brian Laws completed his changes by replacing Jensen with Diego Penny and Richard Eckersley with Alex-Ray Harvey.
The young Shakers continued to battle bravely and showed some fine passing with Kyle Bennett, Alexis, Simon Whaley and Kenny Strickland particularly catching the eye.
However, it was the visitors, again, who scored to round of the scoring with the impressive Chris Eagles who deftly chipped Cameron Belford on 81 minutes to send the travelling 1,815 fans home happy. Sadly, they'd been let down by one idiot who thought it would be funny to hold up a Burnley flag in front of the Main Stand housing the home supporters. I just hope he think it's as funny when he's in front of the magistrates getting a fine and a banning order. A shame he let the huge majority of Burnley fans and the club itself down.
GOAL 81 EAGLES
Eagles also came close a couple of minutes later but Belford, who could not be faulted for any of the goals conceded, turned his shot away for a corner. From the corner Bury broke quickly with Alexis seizing on Johnson's clearance. His ball found Whaley who played in Lennel John-Lewis but his goal bound shot from the edge of the box was deflected away for a corner by Cort.
It was young Kenny Strickland who next tested the Clarets Peruvian keeper Penny when he cracked a shot from twenty five yards which the South American had to smartly grab at the second attempt as Lowe sought to follow up the initial shot.
A cracking ball by Simon Whaley, seeking to get forward at every attempt, found Ryan Lowe in the box but the Scouse hitman couldn't get the ball down before Carlisle cleared and Danny Carlton had the game's final effort from fully thirty yards but it sailed harmlessly over the bar.
There was no doubt in the difference in class on the pitch but one would expect that from a Championship side with an ex-Premier League budget and the game was more important in terms of the build up to the Port Vale game on August 7th. Obviously, not all the trialists will make it through to the final cut and we wish those players well but there were glimpses, notably from Kyle Bennett, Alexis, Simon Whaley and Jermaine Johnson to at least warrant a second look.
Final score Bury 0 - 3 Burnley.
Attendance 2986 (1815 visitors)
Bury FC: Cameron Belford, Mark Lynch (Samuels 65), Joe Skarz (Jones 65), Ben Futcher (Johnson 65), Efetobore Sodje (Alexis 65), Peter Sweeney (Bennett 65), David Worrall (John-Lewis 65), Steven Schumacher (Strickland 65), Andy Bishop (Carlton 45), Andy Haworth (Lowe 45), Michael Jones (Whaley 45). Subs: Ritchie Branagan, Jermaine Johnson, Danny Carlton, Simon Whaley, Ryan Lowe, Lennel John-Lewis, Kenny Strickland, Alexis, Andrai Jones, Kyle Bennett, Duane Samuels.
Burnley (First half): Brian Jensen, Graham Alexander , Daniel Fox, Michael Duff , Andre Bikey, Chris McCann, Richard Eckersley, Jay Rodriguez , Steve Thompson , Wade Elliott, Ross Wallace.
Burnley (Second half): Brian Jensen (Penny 67), Clark Carlisle, Kevin McDonald, Dean Marney, Chris Iwelumo, Mark Paterson (Wes Fletcher 90), Richard Eckersley (Harvey 67), David Edgar, Leon Cort, Chris Eagles, Brian Easton.
