5th March 2000    

Preece saves Shakers

BURY player manager Andy Preece was the hero as his last gasp goal sealed the points for the Shakers in the full blooded local derby. Sub Preece rose above the Oldham defence to head home a free kick after the Latics had thought they had sealed the points. The draw keeps both sides locked in mid-table positions. Oldham’s Steve Whitehall had opened the scoring then former Latics favourite Paul Reid levelled from the penalty spot for Bury. But Rickers put Oldham back in front. Craig Dudley was an early threat to the Latics, getting the better of defender Steve Redmond on four minutes, but firing into the side netting. Former Oldham player Littlejohn was booed every time Bury launched an attack but Paul Reid could have silenced the travelling fans with a 25 yard shot in the 10th minute. This hit the crossbar and bounced down before former Bury keeper Gary Kelly managed to fumble it away despite the home side’s appeal that the ball had crossed the line.

Oldham then had a number of half chances before Dudley’s right wing cross found striker Steve WHITEHALL in the area. He got in between the Bury defence and sent the ball into the roof of Kenny’s net in 16 minutes - his 9th goal of the season. There were chances at either end with Avdiu a danger for Bury and Reid just failed to meet a Chris Billy cross on 32 minutes in the six yard box. Kenny bravely headed the ball away as the lively Dudley raced clear in 39 minutes and Bury defender Danny Swailes had a goal bound header blocked just before the break. A minute after the restart Avdiu missed a gilt-edged chance from Littlejohn’s cross and in the same attack the referee pointed to the penalty spot when Reid was bundled over in the area. REID got up and blasted the spot kick home on 47 minutes. Two minutes later Oldham were furious when they felt they were denied a penalty when Dudley was grounded in a clash with Redmond, but the referee waved play on. But they were back in front on 65 minutes when unmarked RICKERS headed home Scott McNiven’s cross despite a period of Bury pressure.

Bury player manager Andy Preece put himself on straight after the goal to try and get the Shakers back on level terms but it was Oldham again who had all the pressure. The Latics had an effort which hit the post and another one cleared off the line as they looked for a third to settle the tie. Bury were throwing everything at Oldham and then introduced Indian international Bhaibhung Bhutia for the final 10 minutes. PREECE then got the winner.

Sporting Life

Bristol Rovers stayed top of the Division Two table via a 1-1 draw with Wigan who remain unbeaten away from home.

But Preston cut the Pirates' lead to one point after ending Burnley's nine-match unbeaten streak at home with an emphatic 3-0 win.

Rovers trailed to an Andy Liddell goal after four minutes and were rescued by a first goal of the season from Trevor Challis after 19 minutes.

Preston were a goal up at Turf Moor in front of 22,310 after two minutes when Michael Jackson gave them the lead. Jon Macken's 20th league goal doubled the lead after the Clarets' Darren West was sent off on 38 minutes for a second yellow card, and Rob Edwards sealed his club's ninth away win of the season after 77 minutes.

Millwall stayed on the heels of the two front-runners by ending Bristol City's 11 match unbeaten run with a 4-1 win at the New Den.

Tim Cahill netted in the eighth and 34th minutes, either side of Paul Ifill's goal - and although Alex Meechan pulled one back for City Richard Sadlier completed the rout.

Stoke kept alive their hopes of finishing in a play-off spot with a storming 5-1 win over bottom-of-the-table Chesterfield.

Peter Thorne turned the match into a personal triumph with four goals inside 53 minutes before David Reeves put the Spireites on the score sheet. Anders Jacobsen then netted the fifth in the dying minutes.

Notts County, also pushing for a top-six finish, came unstuck at Blackpool where they went down 2-1.

Chris Lumsdon gave the Seasiders the lead just on half-time. Mark Stallard equalised with his 11th of the season, and Phil Clarkson notched the winner after 75 minutes to lift Blackpool out of the bottom three.

Cambridge picked up a valuable point in a 1-1 draw at Brentford, who were glad of an equaliser from captain Paul Evans for cancelling out Trevor Benjamin's second-minute strike with an 84th minute penalty.

Gillingham, with games in hand after their Cup exploits, look likely to end up in the play-offs. But they left it late against struggling Oxford, Junior Bent grabbing the points with his effort in the 89th minute.

Luton made it 11 games without a clean sheet when Danny Allsopp's 55th-minute goal gave Wrexham a 1-0 win - and Scunthorpe are now seven games without a win after a goalless draw with Colchester.

Reading eased away from the danger zone, with goals from Darren Caskey and Nicky Forster ensuring the points in a 2-0 success over Bournemouth.

Bury left it late to grab a point in their 2-2 draw with Oldham, Andy Preece netting in injury time.

Steve Whitehall gave Oldham the lead, and Paul Reid levelled from the penalty spot two minutes after half-time before Paul Rickers restored the advantage temporarily on 66 minutes.