Following last weeks game against Vagabonds, Bury welcomed more familiar opposition and last season’s champions Dukinfield.
A bright but breezy day saw a close game unfold. Bury started well, however, Dukinfield we first on the score sheet after only 8 minutes following a driving maul at the lineout, Bury’s forwards again finding themselves several Kg’s lighter than the opposition.
Conversion for Dukinfield was kicked.
0-7

The game then ebbed and flowed with each side falling foul of the referee’s whistle for ruck infringements. From a resulting penalty Bury finally managed to mount a meaningful attack. An excellent Bury lineout, drew in Dukinfield’s defence and led to an amazing set of passes down the line to the wing Henry Loftus who wrongfooted the Dukinfield winger before scrum-half Ben Cross in support on the outside received the quick offload to cross for Bury and get them back into the game.
Conversion missed.
5-7

With 20 mins to go of the first half and neither side dominating it was looking like a close game. A penalty on the 22m for Bury gave them a kick at goal and a chance to get in front. Tom Smith successful with the kick putting Bury in the lead.
8-7

Unfortunately for Bury, the lead was short lived. A high tackle led to a penalty against them and another successful driving lineout from Dukinfield.
8-12

Further infringements during the visitors driving mauls resulted in successive penalties against Bury, with 3 points added and then the referee losing patience following a collapsed maul awarding a penalty try.
8-22

Credit to Bury as after being on the receiving end for some time heads failed to drop and with Captain Dan Palmeiri rallying the troops, Bury got themselves back into the game once again with a try in the corner by Henry Loftus from a well measured crossfield kick.
Half time
13-22

Bury came out in the second half rejuvenated, with reinforcements from the bench making an impact. Aaron Ritchie wriggling over the line for a converted score and game on.
20-22

Sensing a comeback Dukinfield revisited their most potent weapon, the driving maul, resulting in another try. However, this try was not converted leaving Bury within a converted score.
20-27

Unfortunately for Bury it was Dukinfield to strike next following continuous pressure on the Bury line, the ‘field player managing to squirm over for an unconverted try.
20-32
Once again, Bury dusting themselves down took to the attack and a second try for Ben Cross brought Bury’s back into the game once more.
27-32

Another well worked try for Aaron Ritchie bringing the score to 34-32 with less than 5 minutes remaining and the Bury comeback was complete….
Or so most of the crowd thought! With the flurry of points in an open game, spectators were left borrowing fingers to count each sides points, with both sides spectators agreeing the score in Burys favour. Unfortunately, this score had been miscalculated on the pitch with the Bury players taking a rushed conversion believing they were still behind.
With Bury pushing hard for more, as it would turn out, unneeded points Dukinfield seized an opportunistic counterattack, crossing for a converted try to win the contest.

Full time
Final (corrected) score: 34-39
This was a very close match that ended in a narrow win for Dukinfield, both sides put in great amounts of effort in a contest that could have gone either way.
Thanks to everyone who came to support Bury on Saturday afternoon. Next week see’s Bury take on Ellesmere Port in a first trip of many to the Wirral peninsula this season.