BURY 2 (Baker 36, Challinor 50)
BARNSLEY 0

THE Reds ended their pre-season campaign with a disappointing defeat at Gigg Lane and have a lot of improving to do after struggling against the League Two outfit.

Simon Davey completed his pre-season preparations with a trip to Bury and welcomed back Paul Reid to his starting eleven after the Reds skipper had missed the last three outings through illness.

It was the home side who started the brighter with ex-Red Glynn Hurst peeling away well down the right to cross inside the first minutes but Lewin Nyatanga was well placed to clear the danger.

Barnsley responded well and Rohan Ricketts hit the turf on six minutes under a challenge. The winger picked himself up and drove the free kick against a defender and a yard wide of the post.

Nyatanga proved to be just as effective in Bury's area a minute later as he managed to dig Ricketts' corner back into the box for Miguel Mostto, who smashed the ball just over the bar.

Bury striker Nicky Adams then forced a brilliant low save from Nick Colgan on eight minutes after popping up on the six yard box but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Hurst managed to get the wrong side of the Barnsley defence with menace on 12 minutes as he slipped between Rob Kozluk and Reid to cross but Dennis Souza was able to get in front of Marcus Richardson and clear the ball.

Mostto's exuberance on the pitch showed again on 13 minutes as he picked up Kayode Odejayi's flick 30 yards out before trying his luck but his volley was easily dealt with by the Shakers defence.

Bury came again and Hurst once more managed to get in between Reid and Kozluk on 19 minutes to get a shot away but Colgan was in the right place to make a comfortable save.

The Barnsley defence had to be at its best again on 26 minutes as Paul Scott's high cross was nodded back into the six yard box by Ben Futcher but the Reds were able to clear although the referee had already blown.

At the other end Ricketts fired a free kick high over the bar a minute later after he had again been sent tumbling, this time by Futcher's clumsy challenge.

As the game drifted into pre-season tedium, Colgan had to be alert on 32 minutes to punch clear from a Shakers corner and was clattered by Futcher for his trouble.

Barnsley best offerings came through Ricketts, who cut in well from the left again on 34 minutes before finally bringing a save from Jim Provett.

It was the home side who grabbed the lead just a minute later and again it all came from decent play down the right flank by Adams. The winger's deep cross caught the Barnsley defence napping and Richie Baker was able to rifle the ball home at the far post.

Barnsley were poor going forward and rarely threatened Provett's goal. Brian Howard did try to get things moving on 42 minutes as he fired a free kick over the bar but his effort was nowhere near the target.

The Reds looked to step things up after half time and they had a great chance to get back on level terms on 47 minutes when Colin Woodthorpe helped himself to a big handful of Odejayi's shirt just outside the area. Howard took the free kick but his cross was appalling and the ball flew high over everybody and out of play.

Barnsley only had themselves to blame on 50 minutes as they conceded an embarrassing second goal after failing to deal with Adams' bread and butter corner from the left. The Reds let the ball bounce around in the penalty area long enough for Challinor to wrap his boot around it and send a volley past Colgan and into the top corner.

A tame pre-season game threatened to boil over as first Reid and then Istvan Ferenczi clattered through Scott on the right touchline in the space of two minutes. Ferenczi earned a caution while Reid was substituted shortly after.

Barnsley tried to get back into the game and Ricketts' cross did pick out Odejayi in a decent position on 63 minutes but the big front man lashed a wild shot well wide of the target.

Ferenczi then should have pulled one back on 65 minutes as he raced in front of his marker to meet Dominik Werling's excellent cross but could only head wide of the target from eight yards.

Former Shaker Dwayne Mattis was given a return to Gigg Lane on 71 minutes when he replaced Martin Devaney and received a good welcome by the Bury faithful.

Ferenczi again could have scored on 73 minutes as he found a yard of space in the area to get a shot away after good play by Ricketts but his effort flew wide of the target.

Substitute Andy Bishop almost capped Bury's fine display with a great third goal on 78 minutes as he met Brian Barry-Murphy's free kick and sent a header thundering against the underside of the bar and away.

Ricketts was the only Reds player to look threatening and he almost grabbed a goal on 87 minutes when he let fly from the edge of the area and saw his shot deflect through and off the chest of Provett and away.

BURY: Provett, Haslam, Woodthorpe, Challinor, Morgan, Futcher, Baker (Barry-Murphy 61), Scott, Hurst (Bishop 67), Richardson (Dean 54), Adams (Mangan 81).
Subs: Belford, Parrish, Buchanan, Clarke, Brackenbridge, Stephens, Stepien.

BARNSLEY: Colgan, Kozluk, Souza, Nyatanga, Reid (Werling 60), Devaney (Mattis 71), Howard (McCann 56), Johnson (Togwell 56), Ricketts, Mostto (Ferenczi 51), Odejayi (Coulson 83).
Subs: Potter, Atkinson, Letheren.

Attendance: 959