The Bury first team played their first match after relegation to the Manchester B Division, and found the visitors less than friendly as Worsley’s first team raised their game despite being substantially outgraded.

Although Bury’s John Grindrod took first blood with a nice attacking win, Worsley fought hard on the remaining boards, and Anthony Lee, Bernard Sharples and Keith Evans could do no better than draw. With the top three boards still in play, and holding the advantage on all of them, Bury were favourites to win. Then Mick Norris chose the wrong path and lost, and Roger Howley with time problems was unable to find a win and accepted a draw, leaving Roy Wild seeking a decisive win.

Declining an offered draw, Roy found himself in trouble on the board and on the clock and lost, and the visitors went home with the points.

BURY 3 - WORSLEY 4 MJ Norris 0, S Wright 1; RW Howley 0.5, J Carlinder 0.5; R Wild 0, D Bower 1; A Lee 0.5, B Rhodes 0.5; B Sharples 0.5, C Hodgson 0.5; K Evans 0.5, R Marsh 0.5; J Grindrod 1, C Neale 0.