Cherries shaken to the core

Most of the talk on the terraces before kick-off centred around the cash-strapped Shakers' 117-year existence, with the club due to face a winding-up order a week today.

But as the visiting supporters' coach headed back down the M6, the topic of conversation among the travelling fans must have been the small matter of Cherries' survival in Division Two.

An alarming sequence of results has seen Cherries muster just one victory in their last 16 league games, with a paltry eight points yielded during the same period.

And even the most mathematically-challenged Cherries fans can work out for themselves that this form extrapolated between now and the end of the season adds up to disaster.

The pressure is sure to mount on under-fire boss O'Driscoll, but with Cherries' financial predicament one of the worst-kept secrets in the country, his hands are clearly tied and most fans will sympathise with his dilemma.

It is difficult to see what more the man can be expected to do except perhaps don his boots again and start finishing off some of the numerous chances his side are still creating on a regular basis.

Alternatively, maybe O'Driscoll could arrange for all shots saved by the opposition goalkeeper to roll invitingly into the path of one of his players so they have the simple task of scoring simple goals.

Or maybe he could ensure that every time Gareth Stewart makes a save or a Cherries defender blocks a shot, the ball goes out for a corner rather than landing on a plate for an opposition striker.

Whether Cherries' current situation is down to O'Driscoll shattering one too many mirrors or walking under a line of ladders, it is clear his rabbit's foot is riddled with myxomatosis.

On a heavily-sanded Gigg Lane pitch, not even Laurence of Arabia could have rescued Cherries as the omens again conspired against O'Driscoll's luckless troops.

Warren Feeney and Derek Holmes both passed late fitness tests and were restored to the Cherries starting line-up at the expense of Wade Elliott and Tresor Kandol.

Elliott, who was also declared fit after recovering from an ankle injury, dropped down to the bench, while new loan signing Kieran McAnespie was also named among the Cherries substitutes.

Cherries made most of the early running and could have taken the lead as early as the third minute through Carl Fletcher who looked set to mark his 100th league appearance for the club with a goal.

But despite arriving at the far post and side-footing James Hayter's free-kick towards the bottom corner of the net, Bury goalkeeper Paddy Kenny turned his effort around the post (rather than into the path of another Cherries player).

And from the resultant corner taken by Hayter, Shaun Maher powered a header against the crossbar before the ball rebound to safety (rather than into the path of another Cherries player).

But after two near-misses, O'Driscoll's side deservedly made the breakthrough after 14 minutes through Holmes who popped up unchallenged at the near post to head home Hayter's inswinging corner.

It could have been worse for the Shakers just three minutes later when Feeney seized on a wayward pass from Ian Lawson and proceeded to hare off towards the goal.

But the Northern Ireland under-21 international was denied a scoring opportunity thanks to a desperate last-ditch saving tackle from defender Steve Redmond.

Garreth O'Connor's searching pass picked out Holmes and the Scotsman unleashed a left-foot effort which hit the outside (rather than the inside) of the post and bounced away for a goal-kick (rather than bouncing the other way into the back of the net).

Bury offered very little in the opening half-hour and their strikers were forced to feed off scraps. A shot by Jon Newby flashed across the face of the goal and an Eddie Howe clearance, which was charged down by Lawson, went wide of the post.

Jason Tindall timed his run to perfection to meet another Hayter corner with a thunderous header, but his effort was easily saved by Kenny.

Bury started to up the tempo towards the end of the first half and Stewart was in the right place at the right time to save a close-range header from Michael Nelson.

The Cherries number one then distinguished himself by pulling off two top-drawer saves inside 60 seconds.

Firstly, Stewart threw himself to his right to push away a fierce drive from Newby that looked destined for the top corner.

Then, the agile 22-year-old displayed his dexterity by flinging himself to his left to brilliantly tip a crashing 25-yard drive from Martyn Forrest round the post.

Stewart needed treatment after landing awkwardly following a collision with Maher, and, despite laying prostrate in his goal for a matter of minutes as the game continued, Bury failed to trouble him further before John Cooper was ushered on to administer the wet sponge.

Deep into first-half stoppage-time, Bury grabbed an ill-deserved equaliser when George Clegg rammed home the loose ball from around eight yards after David Borley's initial shot had been blocked.

True to form, after Borley's shot had been parried, the ball sat nicely for Clegg rather than going for a corner or out to safety.

To compound Cherries' problems, Feeney and Richard Hughes - making his 150th appearance for the club - both limped out and played no part in the second half.

Feeney, who was still feeling the effects of his hamstring injury, was replaced at the interval by McAnespie who slotted in to the centre of midfield while Danny Thomas stepped in for Hughes and played wide on the left.

The early exchanges in the second half were scrappy with Holmes trying his luck with an ambitious 30-yard effort and Clegg lifting the ball over the bar following a Newby cross.

Disaster struck for Cherries when Bury forged into the lead after 64 minutes, the visitors paying the ultimate price for some statuesque defending.

Sam Collins' long throw bobbled around in the danger zone and after Stewart had jammed Jason Jarrett's header against the crossbar, the ball fell perfectly into the path of Ian Lawson who scrambled it over the line.

Cherries squandered a gilt-edged opportunity to respond almost immediately when Hayter wriggled free down the right before knocking the ball into the path of O'Connor who contrived to sky his shot miles over the bar when he should of at least hit the target.

At the other end, an equally bizarre miss saw Lawson somehow side-foot the ball wide of a gaping goal with the Cherries defence at sixes and sevens.

Cherries had a chance to salvage a point four minutes from time, but McAnespie's thunderous free-kick through a crowded goalmouth was pushed away by Kenny (and guess what - it went for a corner instead of dropping in front of a Cherries player).