A HARD-fought 3-2 victory at home to Didsbury Northern's third team helped Bury's senior men's side maintain second place in Division Three of the North West Hockey League.

A tight first half saw limited chances for both sides, with Adam Friend and James Oakes both going close for Bury, while Didsbury threatened from three short corners.

The visitors grabbed the lead shortly after the restart following a well-worked short corner.

Oakes tucked home a reverse stick strike as Bury hit back within minutes.

The Castlebrook side then took the lead as youngster Sam Plant notched his second goal of the season from close range. Good midfield play from Simon Major and Friend set up Oakes, and after the forward miss-hit his shot Plant was on hand to calmly slot home the loose ball.

A smart finish from a tight angle pulled the visitors back level.

But Bury pushed for a winner and Friend stepped up to score a fine solo goal to claim all three points. After driving past several players the Bury forward found himself with room in the circle and he fired a low shot into the bottom corner.

Bury's second team claimed a welcome point with a 1-1 draw at Didsbury Northern 6s.

Several youngsters stepped into the team, with full-back Saleem Raza and winger Matty Westwell both putting in fine performances.

Bury pinned back their hosts in the opening minutes to create several chances, which could and should have been converted.

However it was Didsbury who took the lead as a well-worked move down the right produced an easy finish for the host’s striker, who swept the ball past debutant keeper Ellis Attewell.

Shortly after, Attewell produced a fine save to keep the hosts at bay, before Bury secured a succession of short corners, which again they could not convert.

The second half saw Bury maintain their pressure, with Danny Quin instrumental in leading wave after wave of attacks, combining with Rob Fogwill and man-of-the-match Westwell to torment the Didsbury backline.

Eventually, another Quin burst into the circle led to a short corner for the visitors, which Quin duly converted with the aid of a deflection.

Bury ladies’ second team returned to Salford University for the second successive weekend as they took on the students in the Division Three/Four Cup.

Salford were looking for revenge following their shock loss to the Castlebrook-based side in the league the previous weekend and started strongly, opening the scoring inside the first minute following a scramble in the circle.

Two further goals before half time deservedly gave Salford a three-goal cushion as the Bury ladies failed to recapture their passing and movement from their last encounter, which they won 3-1.

A better second half saw the visitors tighten up at the back, as central defender Collette Green put in a fine performance, while they also threatened more as forwards Lorna Wroe, Sophie Foreman and Helen Beard mounted counter-attacks.

However, Bury fell further behind before earning a consolation goal as Foreman turned home a rebound to net her sixth of the season.

The ladies bounced straight back from their disappointment to dump Second Division Manchester University out of the All Divisions Plate Competition on Sunday.

They fell behind early in the game but two short-corner strikes from impressive youngster Rachel Bailey and a first goal of the season for Rosie Hanley, turning home Lisa Davies’s deflection, ensured the second team cruised into the next round.

After the poor performance on Saturday this was an excellent response, which again underlined the huge potential of the ladies’ second team, as they continue to shock teams with some fine performances and results.