Bury 0 Oxford 4 by Marc Higginson: HIGH-flying Oxford used brawn rather than brains to thrash Bury at Gigg Lane on Saturday.

The visitors out-muscled their young opponents to record a four star victory that propels them into second place in Division Three.

In contrast, the Shakers are left wobbling in 17th place and facing the visit of table-topping Hull City tomorrow night.

Bury went into the game hoping to become the first side in the division to hit 6,000 goals.

History beckoned as the Shakers began the game on 5,999.

However, they were made to rue missed chances as their physical opponents gave them a lesson in finishing that left the majority of the 2,930-strong crowd stunned.

Midfielder Glenn Whelan was looking dangerous going forward and he narrowly failed to connect with Gareth Seddon's ball on 23 minutes, before wasting a good cross ten minutes later when well placed.

And it wasn't long before Oxford showed why they are ranked among the favourites for promotion.

On the half-hour, United keeper Andy Woodman punted the ball forward in hope rather than expectation, but the lively Dean Whitehead latched on to it and rifled it past Glyn Garner in the Bury net.

Steve Basham came close to extending the lead as the home side tried to find a way of scoring two goals against a side that has now conceded just seven in 14 games.

Seddon, on-loan winger Harpal Singh, Lee Connell and captain Lee Duxbury all went close as the Oxford defence started to look insecure.

Bury were getting increasingly desperate for the breakthrough and, as a result, they were punished on the counter-attack when Whitehead grabbed his second of the match from a Basham pass.

The Shakers then went to pieces to allow Basham to help himself to a brace and send the visiting fans into raptures.

The final scoreline was harsh on Bury, and manager Andy Preece fumed: "I am disappointed about the way we conceded the last three goals because, for me, that was just a lack of professionalism and there's no way that game should have been 4-0.

"Oxford are a benchmark, they are a strong, physical side. They know what they are doing and are hard to break down.

"You can see that from where they are in the league. We have to learn from it and we've learned the hard way today."

BURY: Garner 6, Swailes 6, Duxbury 6 (Preece 6), Gulliver 6, Connell 6, Dunfield 7, Whelan 7, O'Shaughnessy 6, Singh 7, O'Neill 7, Seddon 6.