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Bury 1 Rochdale 1

Dave Lawrenson
1/ 5/2008

BURY boss Alan Knill was left gritting his teeth after what he described as ‘the softest penalty ever’ prevented his side from rounding off their home campaign with derby day glory.

Paul Scott was controversially adjudged to have fouled Gary Jones in the final minute and Adam Le Fondre stepped up to slot home the resulting spot kick and end Bury’s five-game winning streak at Gigg Lane.

But Bury fans could draw comfort from the fact that the pinched point was not enough to keep Rochdale’s automatic play-off hopes alive. Their bitter rivals will now have to settle for a place in the play-offs as they look to climb off the bottom rung of the Football League ladder for the first time in 30 years.

After the game, which was played in front of a bumper crowd of 6,271, Knill made a few sly digs about Rochdale considering themselves to be the best side in the division.

But he resisted the temptation to criticise the referee despite the late penalty heartbreak and the sending off of defender Ben Futcher on 78 minutes for a second bookable offence.

That decision seemed harsh too as it was Futcher and not Rory McArdle who emerged from their off the ball incident at a corner with a cut eye.

Rochdale also had a player sent off with Nathan Stanton scything down Elliott Bennett as the last man on the half hour mark.

It was a typical fiercely contested and, at times, bad tempered derby game.

But, despite being 11 places adrift of Rochdale in 15th spot, Bury looked the better side throughout.

And they would have won the game comfortably had it not been for Rochdale keeper Tommy Lee, who thwarted Andy Bishop in a one-on-one before making a superb double save from Bishop’s recalled strike partner Glynn Hurst.

Lee also excelled in keeping out a good effort from the ever lively loan ace Bennett, who was making his last appearance for Bury.

But Rochdale’s keeper was helpless to stop Nicky Adams from giving Bury the lead on 56 minutes. The Shakers’ young player of the year smashed the ball into the roof of the net after Bishop had flicked on from a throw in.

The goal scorer could not have been more ironic with Rochdale having recently had a cheeky approach to sign Adams immediately turned down.

There is clearly no love lost between the two sides with Knill saying after the match: "I am very disappointed to have only drawn the game as we were the better team, even before they had a man sent off.

"We showed today how far we have come by competing with the so-called best team in the league. That is what they keep telling us that they are.

"Tommy Lee kept them in the game and it was the softest penalty ever at the end. But I will never criticise an official. What’s the point?"

Rochdale had recorded seven wins and one draw in their previous eight matches but their only chances of note on Saturday saw Jim Provett make a double save from Jones and Chris Dagnall before denying the latter from close range in the second half.

However, Rochdale did have what would have been a winner from Rene Howe disallowed in the dying seconds.

Team: Provett, Haslam, Futcher, Sodje, Buchanan, Bennett, Scott, Baker, Adams, Hurst (Stephens, 80mins), Bishop. Subs not used: Rouse, Rooney, Anane, Belford. Goal: Adams (56mins). Attendance: 6,271.