Coming off the back of a tight victory last week, Bury were to return to their home ground and christen their new pitch in style with a convincing 39-0 victory over a struggling Newton-le-Willows side.
The scene was set for a rugby spectacle, with Bury being able to play on their newly improved pitch. After having to play their first few home games on the Derby High School pitch, the drainage enhancements to the Radcliffe Road pitches were deemed complete.
The first points of the afternoon came within the first ten minutes, although not through the flowing rugby that Bury were hoping to play, but through a Newton mistake. With a rush defence putting lots of pressure onto the visitors attacking move the ball was knocked on in front of centre, Ben Shedwick, who was able to hack the ball forwards and into the path of the oncoming winger, Sam Ware, who crossed the White wash and score the try. The conversion was easily kicked by Adam Heath.
It wasn't long before Bury were to increase their lead, with a slick move with the ball going through the hands of forwards Declan Hampson and Christopher Potts before interlinking with the backs of George Kelly and Callum Patton. This slick move again released Sam Ware to score in the corner. The difficult conversion from out wide was narrowly missed.
With the home side having total control and domination the pace and effort was decreased and the Half ended with the home side carrying a twelve point lead.
With a determination to secure a bonus point victory, the second half started in the same way the first had. With Bury forwards dominating, the backs were being provided with the platform to attack at will. Again in an interlinking move between forwards and backs the ball was moved to the Newton-le-Willows five metre line where Jordan Miller was able to muscle his way to the try line and score the third try of the afternoon.
Bury were to begin scoring at will, as the opposition offered very little resistance. The one incident that was to spoil the afternoon was power-house James Swinburn being adjudged to have illegally tackled a Newton player and receiving ten minutes in the sin bin. With the entrance of Ian Marshall into the game, the loss of Swinburn was minimal, as the set pieces remained powerful and efficient.
The bonus point try was to follow with the ball being quickly recycled with great work from Prop Jake Greenalgh, back row Alex English and number eight Jonny Allen, the ball was fed out from Scrum half George Kelly to centre Ben Shedwick who danced his way through the faltering defence to score with ease.
Bury were to complete the scoring with two carbon copy tries. Twice winger Dan Scanlan was to use his immense pace to out run his opposite number, fly past the covering full back and place the ball over the whitewash.
Having secured their first win on their improved pitch 39-0, Bury will now face a sterner test next week away to Old Bedians, kick off at 3pm.

Andrew Townsend
Pictures by Mark Pollitt Photography