Shakers are all shook up

Sean O'Driscoll's side, who held the Shakers to a 0-0 draw at Gigg Lane three days ago, booked their place at the Millennium Stadium a week on Saturday with a stunning display in front of a sell-out crowd.

On a night of high drama, first-half goals from Garreth O'Connor and James Hayter put Cherries on the road to Cardiff as O'Driscoll's troops tore Bury to shreds in the opening 45 minutes.

And victory was all but assured when Hayter grabbed his second and Cherries' third on the hour before Bury player-boss Andy Preece netted a consolation.

Although ugly scenes threatened to spoil the party as tempers flared as the two teams left the pitch, nothing could take the gloss off Cherries' historic victory.

Marcus Browning was restored to the Cherries starting line-up after recovering from a groin injury, the midfielder coming in for Brian Stock, while O'Connor was promoted from the bench, the Irishman drafted in for Danny Thomas.

In front of a packed house at Dean Court, Cherries carved out the first chance following a frantic start when Steve Fletcher fired a left-foot effort high over the crossbar after he had been teed-up by Hayter's neat lay-off.

But the Shakers hit back almost immediately when Colin Woodthorpe's rasping 20-yarder was superbly tipped over the crossbar by Cherries goalkeeper Neil Moss.

Bury defender Woodthorpe had his name taken following a late lunge on Wade Elliott, while Warren Cummings was also booked after scything down Jon Newby.

As play swung from end to end during the early stages, Colin Cramb had a right-foot drive blocked by Phil Gulliver, while Hayter and O'Connor both tried their luck after Neil Young had centred from the right.

But with Cherries very much in the ascendancy, their territorial advantage almost paid off after 19 minutes when Steve Fletcher slipped the ball into the path of Hayter whose first-time shot came crashing back off the base of the post.

However, there was no reprieve for the Shakers two minutes later when Dean Court erupted after Cherries deservedly broke the deadlock through O'Connor.

The Dubliner drilled home a right-foot drive from just inside the 18-yard box after Steve Fletcher had outjumped the Shakers defence to head Cummings's deep cross from the left-back to the edge of the area.

And from their very next attack, Cherries came within a whisker of doubling their lead when O'Connor saw his fierce right-foot effort from 20 yards pushed on to the post by overworked Bury goalkeeper Glynn Garner.

Garner again came to the Shakers' rescue when he turned a close-range header from Phil Gulliver over the top after Steve Fletcher had again produced another towering leap to meet Hayter's corner.

As tempers began to boil over, particularly among the visitors, Young and Shakers defender Steve Redmond were both cautioned before Steve Fletcher joined them in referee Mick Fletcher's notebook after clattering into Michael Nelson.

Dominant Cherries colonised the Bury half during the opening period and it was no surprise when the hosts extended their lead eight minutes before the interval.

Elliott, who gave Woodthorpe a torrid time in the first half, galloped clear down the right flank before sending over an inviting cross for Hayter to head home Cherries' second from almost underneath the crossbar.

Andy Preece made two substitutions at half-time, the Bury player-boss bringing himself on for Redmond and David Nu-gent for Martyn Forrest. The changes saw the Shakers start the second half with no fewer than four strikers on the pitch.

And within 60 seconds of the restart, Gulliver had to throw himself bravely at the feet of Nu-gent to block a goalbound effort from the Bury sub, while Hayter headed a Cummings free-kick just wide at the other end.

Steve Fletcher was again in the thick of the action in the 58th minute when he wriggled free of his marker on the edge of the box, only to see his resultant shot blocked by Danny Swailes's desperate late lunge.

Moss, a virtual spectator throughout the first half, had to be on his toes when Preece looked to capitalise on a through ball, the Cherries goalkeeper quickly off his line to clear the danger.

But at the other end, Cherries continued to lay siege to the Shakers goal and Hayter soon made it 3-0 when he sprinted clear down the left channel before lifting the ball over the advancing Garner to convert his second of the game on the hour.

Just seven minutes later though, Preece threw the Shakers a lifeline when he reduced the arrears in bizarre fashion. The Bury player-boss profited after a speculative shot from Carl Fletcher had cannoned into his path just over the halfway line.

And as Moss hared off his line in an attempt to clear, he was easily beaten to the ball by Preece who threaded a right-foot shot into the back of the net from a tight angle near the touchline.

As Bury piled forward in search of a second, Moss denied Preece when he confidently smothered the striker's curling left-foot free-kick after 67 minutes.

Purches then latched on to a defence-splitting crossfield pass from Browning and, after cutting inside from the left, saw his powerful drive come back off the crossbar, with Garner beaten all ends up as the woodwork came to Bury's rescue for the fourth time.

Preece, no doubt ruing his decision not to start the game, struck a late free-kick at the Cherries wall before Woodthorpe tried his luck from distance, the ball sailing high over the crossbar.