SECOND-placed Trafford beat Bury Blue Devils 84-68 in the Manchester Area Basketball League Premier Division.

After three wins on the bounce, hosts Bury were optimistic and Omar Abbassy hit a three-pointer to open the scoring, with Chris Stainton and Alex Plumb also hitting from long range.

Defensively Bury struggled to contain the fast-break scoring of Trafford which put them in a hole.

Callum Brady was fouled shooting a three-pointer, making two of his foul shots, before Stainton and Plumb closed out the quarter with Bury trailing 27-16.

In the second quarter, with youngsters Brady, Abbassy and Plumb leading the charge, Bury clawed their way back into the game trailing by only five points at the halfway point.

For the first five minutes of the third quarter, the teams traded baskets with Stainton finding the target and Mike Nichols hitting four straight points.

Then, Trafford found another gear and went on a 13 to two run to head into the final quarter leading 68-54.

In the past Bury have dug deep and managed to come back but, with limited players, fatigue set in and Trafford pulled away to seal victory. 

Bury coach Stu Jackson said: "With a depleted squad, the boys never backed down against an experienced and well-drilled team.

"We will build on this into the next game."

Top points scorer for Bury was Plumb with 19 points.