Ryan has Shakers right up for fight

BURY boss Ryan Lowe believes the belief is starting to come back into the squad as sub George Miller rescued a deserved point for gutsy Bury in a feisty Lancashire derby.

The Shakers remain deep in trouble at the foot of the table, 12 points adrift of potential safety, but a strong performance – coming on the back of the previous weekend’s win at Oxford – delighted Lowe.

He said: “No disrespect to Blackpool, but I thought we were the better team. I thought we created the better chances.

“I was really pleased with the performance, despite the conditions.

“I can see I’ve got lads on the pitch and lads on the bench who are champing at the bit.

“We’re trying our best and I think the fans can see that again now.

“It’s about trying to instil a bit of belief back into the whole squad.

“That’s nothing out of the ordinary in this game, but I’m happy that the lads are giving it everything.

“I think it was clear for everyone to see that that is what is happening.”

Awful pitch conditions didn’t help either side in a disappointing opening period.

Blackpool’s Kyle Vassell ought to have scored, but he fired wide after charging clear of the Bury rearguard.

Nathan Delfouneso was also guilty of a poor miss as he failed to convert Sean Longstaff ’s cross from just a couple of yards out.

The Shakers’ best chance fell to Zeli Ismail, who was denied by a superb Joe Lumley save.

Newcastle loanee Longstaff volleyed the Seasiders ahead from 30 yards shortly after the restart, but the Shakers dug in and eventually gained their reward with Miller side-footing home from eight yards. Blackpool remain in some trouble themselves and are just two points ahead of the potential safety line, meaning manager Gary Bowyer cut an angry figure as he weighed up what he had just seen.

He said: “We should have been here after the game looking at a welldeserved three points.

“The pitch wasn’t great, but we looked in control for large parts of the game.

“We’re frustrated because we’ve been denied late in the game again by poor individual mistakes.

“We’ve not defended properly and at the end we’ve been punished for it. I can’t fault the application of the players. There is no lack of trying from any of them so I can’t be too critical. It’s still a big learning experience for a lot of them, though.”