Bury 0 United 3
Can someone please extend the season for another three months or so? United are flying at the moment, it is perhaps fitting that next week the Champions of League 2 in the guise of Notts County turn up at Plainmoor because there seems to be no other team in this division who can live with the Gulls at the moment. Bury have had a good season and are chasing the play-off places but they had no answer to a confident, well organised United side that have now produced six clean sheets in a row. United can break a club record for time without conceding a league goal against County next week but for now the team should be commended for another thoroughly deserved three points.
Mustapha Carayol opened the scoring in the first half and two late goals from Danny Stevens and Scott Rendell finished off the home side. Six wins and a draw in the last seven games tell its own story and there should be a bumper crowd at Plainmoor next week to celebrate a marvellous upturn in form.
United were unchanged from the team that took the field at Plainmoor last weekend against Macclesfield but there were changes to the bench. Tyrone Thompson, who has been told he won't be offered a new contract, didn't make the trip along with the injured Scott Bevan which meant promotions to the bench for youth team defender Ed Palmer & midfielder Scott Taylor.
United nearly took the lead inside the first minute when an attack down the left finished with Mustapha Carayol taking the ball outside on to his left foot and driving the ball across goal and narrowly wide of the far post.
United had started the match very brightly and the only danger to Michael Poke's goal inside the first ten minutes was a cross-shot from Worrall that sailed harmlessly wide of the far post from the left channel. The Gulls fashioned a good chance in the 13th minute when Scott Rendell slipped the ball square to Nicky Wroe on the right edge of the Bury penalty area but the skipper's first-time effort went well wide of Belford's goal.
Lee Mansell had to be alert to deny Jones with an excellent block 16 yards out after the home side attacked well down the right but United were definitely the better team over the opening stages.
Chris Zebroski, playing on the right side of midfield, showed Buchanan the ball and then a clean pair of heels before crossing for Elliot Benyon but on the stretch United's top scorer couldn't send the ball toward goal.
The first period wasn't packed with chances but it was a very competitive encounter with both teams looking to play when the moment was right and in amongst that was some solid defending, the only criticism would be a little lack of creativity but as the away side a goalless first half hour was just fine.
United had threatened to score the game's first goal from the first whistle and they did just that in the 37th minute. A free-kick from Kevin Nicholson wasn't cleared properly by Bury and Nicky Wroe & Chris Robertson combined down the right hand side of the Bury penalty area to produce a low cross that was collected by Mustapha Carayol who still kept the ball through a sliding challenge and then turned and clipped the ball around Belford from twelve yards to open the scoring with his sixth goal of the season.
Goal: Bury 0 United 1 (Carayol 37)
For the remaining seven minutes of the first half United basically flipped Bury around like a cat with a mouse in the backyard. As the half-time whistle went all of the problems belonged to the home side and another 45 minutes had gone by with United not conceding.
Half-Time: Bury 0 United 1
United began the second half well and the home crowd were beginning to get frustrated. Moments after the restart they thought they should have had a penalty but the referee wasn't interested in claims of Kieran Charnock pulling Bishop. United should have doubled their lead when a superbly struck Kevin Nicholson corner - if there is a better left footed crosser of the ball in League 2 than Nico he hasn't shown up in any games United have been involved in this season - was met by Mark Ellis but somehow the ball went over the crossbar from four yards.
United's confident mood was tempered somewhat when early into the second half Michael Poke looked to have picked up an injury that stopped him from taking dead ball kicks and gave him some pain when kicking out of hand.
Bury finally produced some football that broke through United but when they did Mark Ellis produced a timely sliding block to deny Bishop who was bearing down on United's goal. Moments later and Bury skipper Dawson headed over from eight yards when he should have tested Michael Poke. Poke then needed lengthy treatment on his thigh which was strapped up and with no sub 'keeper on the bench it was vital that he could carry on.
Lee Mansell picked up a yellow card for a body check on Scott and from the resultant free-kick Cresswell managed to head over the crossbar from two yards in a let-off for the Gulls. The home side were making a fully expected go of things in the second half and with twenty minutes remaining Bucks thought it prudent to make a change with Eunan O'Kane replacing goalscorer Mustapha Carayol on the right of midfield.
United were now under some severe pressure with the clock ticking down to the final fifteen minutes but with a collection of fine defensive displays behind them United certainly weren't creaking.
With ten minutes remaining Danny Stevens was introduced to the action when he replaced Elliot Benyon which meant that Scott Rendell ploughed the lone furrow up front with Eunan O'Kane in support.
Bury were playing their best football of the match but Michael Poke wasn't being tested and United were creeping their way to a well earned victory. Right now United are a classic case of a team that is far better than their league position points to and over the last few weeks it may be the case that one or two teams and their support have underestimated the form team of the division.
The home side had been pressing but it was no surprise to followers of United when the Gulls broke away and secured all the points with a second goal. United won the ball in midfield and Chris Zebroski sprinted away down the left hand side, squared the ball inside the area to Nicky Wroe who did the same for Danny Stevens and the Gulls substitute cut back inside and beat Belford with a low shot into the far corner; job done.
Goal: Bury 0 United 2 (Stevens 87)
If Danny's goal was the icing on the cake then Scott Rendell popped the cherry on the top when he scored an almost carbon copy goal, this time with Stevens the provider after another passage of passes which ripped Bury wide open, and gave the scoreline a very satisfying look.
Goal: Bury 0 United 3 (Rendell 90 + 1)
Bucks and the team are being rewarded in results after a long season of hard work and tough decision making, more of the same during the summer and we can all look forward to season 2010/11.
Final Score: Bury 0 United 3
