BURY SOAR BACK INTO LEAGUE ONE
DAVID Flitcroft was beaming with pride after his Bury side clinched promotion as their opponents Tranmere headed in the other direction to non-league football at Prenton Park.
The Shakers won courtesy of a second-half Tom Soares goal and with Southend losing at Morecambe, a return to League One was secured.
The full-time whistle resulted in a wild pitch invasion from the ecstatic travelling supporters and Flitcroft hailed the occasion as a collective success.
He said:“It’s a massive achievement for the football club. 16 months ago we were 23rd in the league and that rise has been pretty impressive but the chairman’s backed it and the players have backed it and we’re a club as one.
“I’m really proud of the players, proud of my staff and proud of the fans and everyone connected with the club because we’re trying to go in the right direction and stabilise a football club that was all over the show 16 months ago. I’m absolutely delighted.
“We’re in the English league and it just shows you the integrity of it. Morecambe didn’t lie down and Tranmere didn’t either. They’ve had a tough season but what they’ve done is give us a really tough test.”
Max Power had the ball in the net for Tranmere on 18 minutes, but his effort was chalked off for handball.
Adam El Abd handled blatantly in his own penalty area on the half hour but referee Simon Hooper ruled in the Bury defender’s favour for shirt pulling.
On the stroke of half-time Owain fon Williams thwarted efforts from Bury pair Soares and Andrew Tutte in quick succession.
The Shakers had appeals for a penalty waved away just before the hour mark, but there was a partial pitch invasion moments later as Soares broke the deadlock, converting a square ball from Chris Hussey.
Rory Donnelly missed a great chance to equalise for Rovers on 75 minutes when he headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
Jason Koumas put a 25yard free-kick narrowly over the bar in the closing stages and Iain Hume shot straight at Nick Pope late on, as Rovers recorded a sixth successive defeat and face up to life in non-league football.
Tranmere’s caretaker manager Alan Rogers said:“We had a go. It’s the least they could do for the fans.
“I thought we nullified their threat, even when they were in possession they weren’t really hurting us, but it’s another defeat. It’s tough to take.
“The points tally doesn’t lie does it? No matter how we try to sugar coat things, we’ve not been good enough for a couple of years. I hope to god whoever comes in can get it right because it’s a great club with great fans and great people behind it. “I sat the lads down after the game and asked them to just listen to the Bury players celebrating and told them, you have to make sure that is you next season.”