BURY Ladies and Girls suffered a cruel late blow to their title hopes in a 2-1 defeat at home to rivals Penrith.

The visitors went into the game with a 100 per cent record in Division One North of the North West Women's Regional League.

And they took the lead on 25 minutes, despite the best efforts of Shakers keeper Tess Duxbury, who got a hand to the close-range shot but the ball squirmed in.

It was Bury who were playing the better football, however, and they deservedly equalised midway through the second half when Jordan Bailey picked out the run of Lucy Golding who tucked away the pinpoint pass.

The Shakers pushed on for a winner as they bid to make up ground in the title race but were undone by a mistake at the back that gifted Penrith a second goal 10 minutes from time.

The result left Bury third in the table, six points behind second-placed Penrith, who have two games in hand, and nine points behind leaders Sir Tom Finney.

They will get the chance to exact revenge on Penrith in the reverse fixture on Saturday.

There are also more big games on the horizon, with Bury, who normally play their home matches on Lower Gigg, taking on Egerton FC at Gigg Lane on Saturday, January 22, in the second round of the Argyle Sports Cup. Kick off is 1pm and entry is free.

Below the first team, the club also has a strong youth and junior section, with more than 200 girls, as young as six, playing in 15 different teams.

Teams from under-9s to u11s play in the North Manchester Girls League, u12s to u15s compete in the South Manchester Girls League and the u16s are in the North Valley League.

A number of Bury's sides have progressed into the latter stages of their cup competitions, with the u14s taking on Ashton Athletic in the last four of the Lancashire FA County Cup on Sunday.

Chairman Diana Golding said: "The first team is the pinnacle of the club, but with opportunities for girls as young as six to join us and learn how to play football it's no wonder our senior side now has some very good homegrown talent that has been at the club for 10 years or more already.

"Players love the development offered by the club as it gives them new challenges each season, which maintains interest and participation.

"They also make lots of new friends and their personal and social development is high on our list of priorities."

Girls of all ages are welcome to join at any time of the year, while the club is currently interested in signing up players at u14s and u10s level.

To find out more, call Diana on 07790 222312 or send an email to burygirlsfc@gmail.com