Bury 2 Morecambe 1

7:06pm Saturday 23rd August 2008

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BURY made it three League Two wins out of three against Morecambe to seal their best start to a season in over 50 years.

Paul Scott's strike and a David Artell own goal was enough to cancel out Rene Howe's early strike and maintain Bury's perfect start to the season.

While Bury were not as dominant as they were against Chesterfield last weekend, they showed a steely side to their game that was enough to grind out a result.

“It was a tough game to be fair,” said Shakers manager Alan Knill. “Credit to them, they made it difficult for us.

“We didn't start particularly well and gave them a soft goal, but we managed to get two back.

“The players showed great resolve to come back from that and I was delighted to see out the game.

“It's a great start, but it's the best finish in 50 years that I want.

“People will be saying that the wheels will come off Bury so we have to prove them wrong. We're there to be shot down, but we have a strong dressing room that can deal with that.”

Knill had pinpointed Morecambe's on-loan striker Howe as a danger man before the match, and his worst fears materialised in the 14th minute when the livewire forward latched on to a loose ball to fire through the legs of Shakers keeper Wayne Brown.

The challenges were flying in from both sides, and Shakers skipper Scott was on the wrong end of a strong Matthew Blinkhorn challenge minutes before he hauled his team back into the game.

Scott was probably still feeling the after effects of Blinkhorn's late challenge when he headed home Brian Barry-Murphy's dangerous corner on 19 minutes.

There were chances at both ends, with Blinkhorn and Howe troubling the shaky home defence before Knill's side went into the lead.

Andy Morrell battled hard to win a ball on the right and released Elliott Bennett, who skinned his full-back before delivering a perfect cross into the box that Artell could only steer into his own net.

Bury went into the break ahead, but they could easily have lost their lead nine minutes into the second half but for a wonderful save from Brown.

Howe, who gave Efe Sodje a torried afternoon, fired in a low shot that Brown expertly turned around his left-hand post.

Morecambe were having the majority of the possession, but Bury were proving adept at cutting out the goalscoring chances – and creating a few of their own.

Substitute Danny Racchi's fired a stinging shot that visiting keeper Barry Roche did well to palm away, before striker Andy Bishop cut in from the right and tested Roche in the dying seconds of the match.

The Shakers are now joint top of League Two going into next Saturday's derby with Rochdale at Spotland – and few would bet against this talented team making it four wins out of four.

BURY: Brown 7, Scott 7, Buchanan 7, Futcher 7, Sodje 6, Bennett 7 (Racchi 65, 7), Jones 7, Barry-Murphy 7, Dawson 8, Bishop 7, Morrell 7 (Hurst 75, 6). Subs not used: Cresswell, Baker, Belford.

MORECAMBE: Roche 6, McStay 6, Adams 6, Artell 5, Bentley 6, Wainwright 6, McCann 6 (O'Carroll 88), Carr 6 (Drummond 80, 6), Curtis 7, Howe 7, Blinkhorn 7. Subs not used: Hunter, Parrish, Davies.

Attendance: 2, 679 (284 Morecambe) Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire)