Bury's greater forward power, the equivalent of an extra man in the tight, won this.

There were 3 scores in the game for each team that were closely equivalent. Apart from these Bury won by 2 unconverted tries from close-range forward drives and two kicked penalties to a converted three-quarter try. Barnes got a 4 try bonus point; Bury scored 5 tries.

Barnes were under pressure at their early scrums but got the ball away. An intercept by the visitors started the game's first attack which was halted at the opposition 22 with a penalty for not releasing. Bury's kick into the other half didn't find touch but was replied to with a vertical up-and-under that the home team got. After 2 turnovers Bury advanced with 3 phases and an offload that got them a penalty 20 metres out in centre field at 9 minutes and centre Lyle kicked the points.

Bury went wide from the restart but were soon turned over. The visitors made ground before passing forward 6 metres out. From their scrum Bury soon kicked ahead; Barnes ran the ball back; Bury intercepted before being forced into touch 20 metres from their line. The visitors' pack set for a drive from the line-out and got over wide out at 13 minutes with flanker Givens on the ball. Fullback O'Toole kicked a 45o conversion.

Barnes secured the high restart and went wide; wing Greenwood ran into the other half and the ball was recycled to outside centre Cornish who sold a dummy just inside the 22 to go to the posts. The fullback added.

Bury regained their restart and advanced into the 22 before being turned over. Fly-half Williams-Davies broke out close to the breakdown and kicked ahead into the opposition 22. Bury cleared to touch just inside the 22. From the line-out the visitors kept the ball in to get a penalty and kicked for another line-out 9 metres out. Again they kept the ball in then recycled and the fly-half fed centre Holmes who forced his way over near the posts at 19 minutes. O'Toole added for an 18 point lead.

Bury won a turnover soon after the restart and for the most part stayed in the opposition half. From a line-out 28 metres out, they got to the line then their 5 metre scrum. The defence held and got the next put-in near there and cleared to touch 16 metres out. The visitors forced another error to get a scrum 26 metres out; from it they kicked for territory into the other half. Bury put together 4 phases to get penalty 3 metres into the visitors' half and kicked for a line-out 15 metres out. From that their pack drove to the line and over not far from the posts at 31 minutes with flanker Stapleton on the ball. Lyle added.

Barnes were penalised after Bury had recycled 3 times close after the restart. The kick took the home team to their line-out 15 metres into the opposition half. From that they went wider. Barnes forced an error and kicked ahead after recycling twice. Bury ran wide and put together 5 more phases before the defence forced an error to get a put-in 17 metres inside their half. The visitors got the ball way from their scrum and went wide but only to an opposition scrum 26 metres out. From this wing Hema in midfield broke through to the line near the posts at 37 minutes. Lyle added to reduce the deficit to 4 points.

Bury kept the ball after the restart and soon got a penalty 12 metres inside their half which they put into touch for the halftime whistle.

Bury secured the second half kick-off and advanced varying their recycling through 8 phases to get a penalty 9 metres into the other half. They ran this and could not advance but did get another penalty that was kicked for a line-out 26 metres from the visitors' line. Their pack started a drive; the opposition pack broke up; Bury got to 5 metres out then released wide then recycled once more for scrumhalf Peres to go over not far from the posts at 3 minutes. The conversion missed but Bury had the lead.

Two kicks followed the restart leading to a line-out from Bury at their 22. After the line-out their pack drove to halfway then they let the ball out and recycled 5 times before they were intercepted by Williams-Davies. Barnes put together 6 phases before the defence forced an error to get a scrum 9 metres inside their half. Next Bury released to centre then recycled 5 times but hardly advancing before kicking out on the full. Soon after the line-out the visitors were penalised for not releasing and the kick took the home team to a line-out 20 metres into the other half. From that one their pack was unstoppable to the line at 13 minutes with lock Hall on the ball. The conversion was wide.

After the restart Bury recycled twice then their fullback Lord broke through and away deep into the other half before possession was lost. Barnes went wide and straight away got a penalty at their 22 which they ran and made very good ground. They recycled once then chipped to touch 17 metres from the opposition line. Lock Collins stole the line-out and the visitors' pack drove to the line with replacement flanker Popham on the ball at 18 minutes. The conversion was just wide; one point in it!

The wide restart went into touch off a Barnes' player. From the line-out 18 metres out, Bury advanced putting together 5 phases before being penalised for not releasing 11 metres out. The visitors kicked for a line-out then were forced backwards before getting another penalty 20 metres from their line. The next kick took them almost to halfway. Barnes went wide then recycled once and kicked for territory. Bury recycled 4 times then their hooker Collins broke through the defence. The ball was recycled twice tight to get a penalty 23 metres out in centre field and replacement Cook kicked the points at 25 minutes.

Bury dealt with the restart and after 8 tight phases they got a penalty at their 10 metre line. The kick took them to their line-out just inside the visitors' 22. An error soon gave Barnes a put-in 19 metres out. Barnes moved up field then after a few errors by both teams the visitors were penalised 9 metres into Bury's half. The touch kick didn't go far and from the line-out the home team went wide and recycled twice before the opposition hacked on a loose ball. Bury recovered and recycled 4 times to get a penalty just inside the opposition half. The kick took them to a line-out 26 metres out; their pack started a drive then went wide. They advanced putting together 4 tight phases to get to the line where Barnes lost a forward for the last few minutes. Bury chose a scrum and kept the ball in; they recycled twice tight and at the line the Ref. gave "held up". From the 5 metre scrum they got over with no. 8 Edison on the ball near the posts at 38 minutes. The conversion missed.

The restart resulted in an injury for which the Ref. stopped the game. It was restarted with a scrum for Bury 18 metres inside their half. They recycled tight twice before being forced into touch for the whistle.

Conditions cool, dry, varying wind, 100% overcast at the start and brightening later. The pitch dry and good in parts, soft in others.