Bury 1 Sheffield Utd 0: Bury complete double over Blades thanks to Craig Jones's superb effort

SHEFFIELD United missed the chance to cut the five-point gap to the play-off places after Craig Jones's stunning strike enabled Bury to jump to 14th with their first win in 2016.
United's Billy Sharp under pressure from Nathan Cameron of Bury.United's Billy Sharp under pressure from Nathan Cameron of Bury.
United's Billy Sharp under pressure from Nathan Cameron of Bury.

The 28-year-old’s third goal of the season completed the double over Nigel Adkins’s side after their 3-1 win at Bramall Lane earlier in the season.

The visitors had gone closest to breaking the deadlock early on at a bitterly cold Gigg Lane.

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On 25 minutes Irishman Ian Lawlor kept impressive youngster Dominic Calvert-Lewin at bay by tipping his powerful header over the bar. Three minutes later, Jones smashed home his second goal in three games.

The Welshman latched onto Leon Clarke’s inch-perfect through-ball before lashing his effort past a sprawling George Long into the top corner.

Adkins’s half-time team-talk saw the Blades up the pressure looking for an equaliser.

Substitute Billy Sharp almost made an immediate impact with his shot being scrambled off the line by Joe Riley mere moments after coming on.

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Sheffield United’s Louis Reed then had claims for a penalty waved away by referee Stuart Attwell after being bundled down in the box.

Scorer Jones nearly turned provider after finding Danny Mayor in acres of space with Long pulling off a sublime reaction save.

The Shakers held on desperately for all three points following a hectic goal-mouth scramble in the 90th minute.

Bury: Lawlor, Pugh, P Clarke, Cameron, Riley, Mayor, Soares, Jones, Tutte, Lowe (Pope 80), L Clarke. Unused substitutes: Hussey, Mellis, O’Sullivan, Miller, Ruddy, Brown.

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Sheffield United: Long, Brayford, Basham, Edgar, McEveley, Reed (Flynn 58), Hammond, Campbell-Ryce (Done 70), Baxter, Calvert-Lewin (Sharp 45), Adams. Unused substitutes: Howard, Coutts, Woolford, McGahey.

Referee: S Attwell (Nuneaton).