Accrington Stanley 0 Bury 2
2:09pm Monday 5th May 2008
The last time Accrington Stanley won on the final day of the season was back in 2003 - when they defeated Hyde United 1-0 in the UniBond Premier.
And that remains the benchmark for final weekend results as, despite a spirited performance against Bury at the Fraser Eagle Stadium, the Reds suffered a 15th home league defeat of the season.
Not for the first time, the home side were haunted by a face from the past as they lost 2-0, despite crafting a number of good chances.
Manager John Coleman made just one change to the side that defeated Wrexham, with Andy Todd replacing the injured Leam Richardson at left-back.
The boss kept faith with youngsters Jay Bell and Peter Murphy, who made their home debuts in a back four with an average age of just 22.
After a cagey start to the game, it was Stanley who crafted the first half-chances, with Paul Mullin striking a shot straight at goalkeeper Jim Provett and Shaun Whalley dragging an effort from the right of the penalty area just wide.
In the opening 15 minutes, home goalkeeper Kenny Arthur was largely a spectator, although only some fancy footwork from the Scot denied Glynn Hurst a telling interception early on.
But that fact changed on the 20-minute mark when the Shakers made a foray into the left side of the Stanley box and found Nicky Adams.
The highly rated youngster sprinted for goal, but saw his run halted by a challenge from Phil Edwards. Referee Darren Deadman pointed straight to the penalty spot and showed Edwards a yellow card.
Up stepped former York City striker Andy Bishop, who drilled the kick into the bottom right corner leaving Arthur with no chance.
The Reds needed to get back into the game quickly, and soon proceedings were mostly played out in Bury territory.
But, for a time, clear-cut opportunities were few and far between, with patience the order of the day.
Captain Peter Cavanagh tried to change that on 34 minutes, but his speculative long-range effort ended up over the bar and into the crowd.
But the chance spurred them on, and a minute later winger Bobby Grant was close to his first senior goal when he saw his looping right-footed effort drop just wide.
And five minutes before the break they went closer still, when Provett produced a fine save to keep out Mullin's excellent volley, before captain Paul Scott scrambled the rebound behind.
From the corner, Edwards tried to atone for his earlier error as he rose to meet Grant's delivery, but he could only head over.
Provett was again on hand to deny Coleman's men on 43 minutes, as Grant cut in from the left and took the defence by surprise by hitting a low right foot drive. His effort nutmegged Efe Sodje and the keeper saw it late, but did well to turn it around the post.
It was one-way traffic as the interval approached, and the fourth official indicated a minute of added time, but then the unthinkable happened.
From inside his own half Adams picked out Bishop down the left channel and the striker burst into the penalty area before picking his spot and powering the ball into the top right corner from 12 yards out.
With the scoreline 2-0 to the visitors and not even enough time for the restart, both sets of fans were left stunned.
Stanley kicked off the second-half with a clear sense of purpose: they would attack.
The same couldn't be said of the visitors, who seemed happy to sit on their two goal cushion, and, as if to prove this, took off Bishop after just seven second-half minutes, and replaced him with Adam Rooney.
Again Stanley were enjoying good spells of possession, but not testing the goalkeeper often enough, and Coleman attempted to rectify this on 57 minutes, withdrawing Grant and replacing him with striker Leighton McGivern.
The attacking intent was now clear, and the chances started to come.
First Todd, who'd returned to a more familiar right midfield role, did everything right bar the aiming as the ball dropped to him for a volley inside the box. The on-loan Rotherham man's technique was perfect but his radar was out as the effort flew over the crossbar.
By now it was once again attack against defence, and with just 16 minutes left Stanley might have grabbed the goal they deserved. Todd played the ball in from the right towards McGivern, but the substitute could only fire wide.
Jay Harris shot over, and Mullin provided a first Football League save for Cameron Belford, who had replaced Provett just moments earlier.
And, on 79 minutes, it was Mullin again who went close after Shaun Whalley reacted quickest to a McGivern mis-kick to put the ball back into the box. The big striker arrived at the near post to get a shot in, but Belford did well to parry and the ball was cleared.
As the clock ticked on it was clear that it wasn't to be Stanley's day, a point emphasised in stoppage time when McGivern produced a curling left foot strike from range, which looked promising, before Belford clutched it to his chest.
It may have been a glorious afternoon down Livingstone Road, but what little luck was mixed with the sun didn't seem to shine on the Reds.
And it was a dour reaction from Coleman on the final whistle, as he came to terms with yet another home defeat.
He said: "I feel like crying. That's another game without a goal and how they've come away with a clean sheet defies belief.
"You couldn't ask for a more honest, physically demanding effort than what they players gave.
"They way we passed the ball at times on a difficult pitch and the way we opened them up was a joy to watch.
"But when you're four yards out and you're hitting the ball against the keeper, or you're six yards out and you're shanking them with just the goalkeeper to beat it's not on.
"We don't get away with those misses and people don't miss those kind of chances against us.
"That's really frustrating."