MATCH REPORT: Bury 2-0 Exeter City

Ryan Lowe & his marauding Shakers team avoided the Manager of the Month curse as his teams free-flowing attacking football comfortably disposed of a worryingly poor Exeter side who seem to be in freefall at the moment.

The teams entered the field of play to one of several downpours on an extremely wet Lancashire afternoon, The home side started on the front foot with a couple of long-range efforts that were blocked by the massed Grecians defence producing a couple of unproductive corners. Bury continued on the offensive & really should have taken the lead on 18 minutes when a curling Nicky Adams free kick was headed horribly wide by centre-back Eoghan O’Connell who had to leave the field injured soon after when he was replaced by Will Aimson.

Bury defender Callum McFadzean was next to go close when his thumping effort was brilliantly turned aside by Grecians keeper Cristy Pym following good work from the excellent Danny Mayor. It seemed only a matter of time until the home side scored & sure enough the moment arrived in the 39th minute. A cross-field ball by McFadzean found EFL League Two player of the month for November Shakers midfielder Jay O’Shea who curled in a superb effort from distance around the outstretched arm of Pym to give Bury a deserved lead at the break.

HALF-TIME BURY 1 EXETER 0

The Grecians must have had manager Matt Taylor’s half-time rant ringing in their ears as they pushed forward at the start of the second period & on 52 minutes had an excellent opportunity to level matters as Shakers defender Chris Stokes upended Exeter top scorer Jayden Stockley for a clear penalty but unfortunately for the Devon side Bury keeper Joe Murphy pulled off a wonderful save from Stockley’s spot kick. The home side were starting to look ragged defensively in this period & Stockley was cursing his luck again when his close-range effort was cleared off the line by Stokes before Jordan Tilson’s effort from the rebound was deflected wide for a corner that came to nothing.

Bury gradually rode the storm & started creating chances of their own & only bad luck & poor finishing denied Mayor, Byron Moore & fellow striker Nicky Maynard. In the games latter stages & with City pushing forward they were leaving themselves susceptible to a quick break & it was from one of these counter-attacks on 76 minutes Bury wrapped up the points when another storming run by the excellent Mayor saw him slip the ball to Byron Moore who went round Pym to finish expertly. The heavens opened again & it was pouring down as the Shakers played out the last few minutes without being unduly troubled.

FULL-TIME BURY 2 EXETER 0

A fine win for Lowe’s team who when they click as they did in patches today are a joy to watch with genuine quality at this level all over the pitch, it was just a shame there wasn’t more than 3,300 there to see it.

Taylor’s talented Grecian side have real problems at the moment. Personally, it looked like some players didn’t quite fancy a trip to rainy Lancashire today & their commitment to the cause must be questioned.

words Ian Bradley, D3D4 roving reporter