BURY manager Alan Knill had mixed feelings at the end of Saturday’s League Two clash with lowly Barnet.

He was pleased with his team’s solid display which saw the Shakers record their first win in five outings and move up from eighth to fourth in the table.

But he was aghast that the match went ahead in the first place with the Gigg Lane pitch being frozen throughout.

The players visibly struggled to keep their feet in the highly dangerous sub-zero temperatures.

It was a miracle that no one was injured as a result of the slippery conditions.

But there was no escaping the spectators from being short changed in terms of entertainment.

Knill said: "I don’t think that sort of surface should be played on but he (referee Nigel Miller) made the decision.

"It’s dangerous for the players and, most of all, the two teams cannot express themselves and the spectators pay to be entertained.

"But we are delighted with the three points. It gets us back on track.

"I thought we adapted pretty well to the conditions and we looked pretty threatening when we did get the ball down."

With goalkeeper Wayne Brown and striker Glynn Hurst out injured, Knill handed on-loan Peterborough keeper Mark Tyler his Shakers debut and he recalled star striker Andy Bishop to the starting line-up.

Brian Barry-Murphy came in for Richie Baker having recovered from his recent back injury.

But it was Barry-Murphy’s fellow midfielder Mike Jones who scored the only goal of the game.

He bobbled the ball into the far corner of Barnet’s net on 37 minutes after Andy Morrell had flicked Elliott Bennett’s pass perfectly into his path.

Morrell gave Bennett another gilt-edged opportunity on 73 minutes, putting him clean through on goal.

But Bennett’s shot was too close to Barnet keeper Ran Kadoch, who pushed it wide for a corner.

Apart from the conditions, Kadoch proved to be the biggest thorn in Bury’s side on the day.

He made other good saves from Jones, Morrell and Bishop.

But, although Bury were the dominant side, Tyler was occasionally tested too.

He looked assured between the sticks throughout and he made comfortable saves from Michael Leary, Paul Furlong, Tommy Black and John O’Flynn.

Team: Tyler, Scott, Futcher, Cresswell, Buchanan, Bennett, Dawson, Barry-Murphy, Jones, Morrell, Bishop. Subs not used: Belford, Haslam, Baker, Racchi, Rouse. Goal: Jones (37mins). Attendance: 2,402.