Bury 2 City 1

 City were left scratching their heads after leaving Gigg Lane empty-handed last night.

Bury’s victory lifted them into an automatic promotion place; City’s defeat kept them wedged in the ugly half of the table in a lowly 15th.

But you couldn’t see any difference between the sides.

The stats – and second-half domination – finished well in favour of the visitors. But, as we know only too well this season, that counts for absolutely nothing.

Stuart McCall had predicted his players would fight like “caged tigers” after their mid-season hibernation and they certainly did, giving it all after the break in a fruitless search for a point.

But when the final whistle sounded, City were reflecting on another chance gone begging with the gap to the play-offs an imposing eight points.

McCall has been wondering if City’s luck will change in the new year but the pre-match omens did not suggest that.

While Bury had emerged unscathed from their impressive weekend win at Bourne-mouth, City’s first outdoor training session of the year produced two key casualties.

Lee Bullock (calf) and James Hanson (back) both suffered from the switch back to soft ground on Saturday after weeks stuck indoors.

Hanson’s absence – only the second game he has missed in three months – meant a change of focus up top. Michael Boulding, making his first start since injuring an ankle against Rotherham, partnered Gareth Evans to leave Bury’s giant centre halves with a different challenge to the aerial battle they had expected.

City lined up 4-3-3, with Simon Ramsden taking up the midfield holding role that Bullock has made his own. Matt Glennon made his debut in a side that showed only two survivors – the centre halves – from the 1-0 loss at Bury a year ago.

There was also a very different look about the kit – City had to wear Bury’s white shirts from last season. Referee Scott Mathieson decided both their home and away kits clashed with the chocolate half of the special shirt Bury are wearing to mark their 125th anniversary!

It left the backroom staff frantically picking through the kit bags to find the right sizes for the players – hardly ideal preparation.

But City could still have been in front inside 20 seconds as Chris Brandon’s cross was met by Scott Neilson, whose side-foot volley from six yards out was superbly kept out by Wayne Brown.

Not to be outdone by his opposite number, Glennon’s first touch for his new club was an alert dive to his left to deny Ryan Lowe.

It was an explosive opening and Bury threatened again as 6ft 7in Ben Futcher outjumped everyone to nod goalwards from their second corner. It beat Glennon but Jon Bateson was on the line to save the day.

Efe Sodje got away with a foul on Neilson and then escaped a booking when he pulled down Boulding, who had slipped goal side of him after a lovely pass from Brandon. Michael Flynn’s free-kick curled a yard over.

Sodje, wearing his trademark bandana, duly got his yellow card in the 13th minute after going through the back of Boulding.

But five minutes later Bury – who were setting a high tempo – were in front. Lowe beat Rehman wide on the right to release David Worrall into the box and as Glennon advanced to narrow the angle, he squared for Mike Jones to shoot past Bateson and Matt Clarke on the line.

Brandon looked City’s best player and was at the heart of their equaliser within five minutes. Bursting into the box onto Neilson’s touch, he looped a cross to the far post, where Boulding headed back across goal – only for Sodje to turn it into his own net.

Back came Bury, though, to regain the lead from the spot just after half an hour. Jones put Stephen Dawson through and the home skipper tumbled as he took a touch wide of Glennon.

The keeper had a good record of saving penalties for Huddersfield and guessed the right way but Lowe’s kick was perfectly placed in the bottom corner.

City had it all to do again but Flynn, with a thumping free-kick, and Neilson immediately kept Brown on his toes.

It remained an open contest, although City were guilty of being a bit sloppy at times and defensively they looked shaky. Bury were playing with the confidence of a side beaten only twice in 17 attempts.

The tendency to hit the ball longer was also creeping in after their promising inter-play in the early stages. And without Hanson’s head to aim at, the high passes were mopped up by Bury’s bruising backline.

Glennon was soon into action after the break from David Buchanan’s blast after the left back had picked up Rehman’s tentative clearance.

Boulding’s battle for headers against Futcher remained a mismatch and the City striker claimed in vain for a penalty when the defender leant on him to clear a free-kick.

The game was evenly poised as Evans, who had contributed little, made way for Omar Daley at the hour point. The Jamaican’s first touch was a foul on Paul Scott to give Bury a free-kick in dangerous territory. Sodje nodded in with a diving header but the flag was up for offside.

Ramsden slammed a long shot against Futcher’s arm but another City shout for a penalty was waved away by Mathieson. The ref then booked Bateson for clipping Buchanan’s heels.

Futcher again appeared to handle as he took the ball off Brandon in midfield. Ramsden reacted furiously with the official as Bury almost made it three from Andy Morrell’s shot on the turn.

City were then cursing the woodwork after Ramsden set up Brandon for a sharp chance that beat Brown but pinged back off the post. It was becoming that sort of night.

Daley whipped in a cross which Boulding flicked off Futcher for a corner which Clarke headed wide.

Mathieson further annoyed the away fans by calling over a steward to move the City Gent mascot back behind the advertising boards at that end of the ground. Another petty act of officialdom.

Flynn crept into the box for a decent effort before McCall made his second switch. Brandon surprisingly made way, sprinting off the pitch as if to demonstrate he was far from finished, as Rory Boulding joined his brother up front.

Luke O’Brien, bombing forward at every chance, drilled in a good cross from the byline which Sodje diverted over his own bar. Again Clarke won the corner but his header was straight at Brown – leaving the big defender holding his head in frustration.

City had controlled the possession since the break, tightening up considerably, but a second equaliser remained elusive. Neilson was checked five yards outside the Bury area and Ramsden’s free-kick deflected behind off the wall. Rehman’s header from the corner was fumbled by Brown and Boulding unsuccessfully tried to jab in from a mad scramble.

City were throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Bury’s goal. O’Brien’s dogged diagonal run found Daley, who teed up Rehman, but the skipper flashed his first-time drive off target.

Rehman then prevented a killer Bury third, clearing well off the line after Morrell had turned inside O’Brien.