Unsurprisingly the season's opening game kicked off in very hot sunshine, guaranteeing conditions that would make it hard for both sides as the match wore on. Cambridge United were more or less at full strength, with Roy McFarland underlining the depth of strength in defence and midfield at the moment by omitting Neil Mackenzie and Martin McNeil from the 16 on duty, and preferring Tom Youngs to John Hansen in midfield.

Lionel Perez received an ovation from the crowd as he emerged to warm up, and he joined John Dreyer, Tom Cowan, Steve McAnespie and Zema Abbey in making his full Abbey debut as a contracted U's player.

The match got off to a blistering start despite the heat, and worryingly for United who were shooting the 'wrong' way and attacking the Newmarket Road end before the break rather than afterwards. Within a minute the U's had conceded a corner when Barnes broke away down the right, Tom Youngs tracking back to concede the flag kick. United were soon onto the attack though, and on four minutes a long throw from McAnespie was plucked off the head of Taylor by Kenny.

On seven minutes there was a worrying sign that last season's shenanigans could continue here today when Bury's new signing Unsworth was booked for clattering into Zema Abbey. From the resulting free kick Tom Cowan found Abbey but his header under pressure was wide and well off target. On ten minutes there was danger for United when a long throw from Sam Collins was flicked on by Swailes to Barnes, and from the edge of the six yard box his header looked to be giving problems until it deflected off Andy Duncan and away for a corner.

United were back on the attack in the 14th minute when Ashbee's cross was hacked out only as far as Paul Wanless and his shot from the edge of the box was deflected away for a corner. A minute later Alex Russell's throw found Abbey who skipped away from Collins but his ball across the face of goal just eluded John Taylor (left).

Almost straight afterwards Taylor held up play and almost returned the compliment, this time for Russell who shanked a left foot shot into the ground and tamely through to the keeper. Then on 17 minutes, as United kept up the pressure, Russell's corner found Dreyer unmarked at the far post but when well-positioned his awkward-looking header was well off target.

After that it looked as though the heat was starting to take its toll and the award of several free kicks slowed things down a little, but United had started brightly and went very close to taking the lead in the 29th minute. The ball had ping-ponged around the area before being cleared to Alex Russell 25 yards out and he hit it first time to draw an excellent full stretch save from Kenny.

The tide then turned Bury's way and in the 33rd minute Unsworth escaped down the right, his cross found Billy ten yards out who had time and space but fired a poor shot wide. On 35 minutes United comprehensively failed to deal with a corner, the ball finally falling to Barnes eight yards but he hooked it over, and four minutes later Barnes got the wrong side of Andy Duncan but as he burst into the area he fired a poor shot wide. Then in the 43rd minute a free kick landed in the United area, was cleared only as far as Dean Barrick on the left, his cross eluded the whole United defence, Perez made a half shot but Barnes forced it home from a couple of yards.

Duncan was booked in the 45th minute for a foul, and after John Taylor protested to the referee the Abbey crowd got their first view of the new ten yard rule as the ball was moved forward for dissent. Luckily former U Dean Barrick lifted the free kick over the bar.

That was the final meaningful action of the half but in his half-time summary Mark Johnson said, "The defence are under increasing pressure. It's early doors yet but I can't see us coming back." (Half-time 0-1)

Trevor Benjamin kept his promise to return and watch the first game of the new season and the young striker, who signed for Leicester City last month, was welcomed onto the pitch at half-time to a great reception from the crowd.

After the break Bury player-boss Andy Preece enjoyed the first chance in the 50th minute when he fired a 25 yard free kick into the top of the Newmarket Road End. Tom Youngs was replaced by John Hansen in the 53rd minute, leaving the field with what looked like a groin strain. In the 54th minute United finally mounted an attack worthy of the name, when Russell's free kick found Paul Wanless at the far post and his rasping volley was blocked point blank by Kenny, who also got behind the same player's header from the rebound.

Then on 58, from Hansen's corner, Preece and Wanless went for the same ball and there was a clash of heads. Wanless staggered and collapsed, and the crowd watched in silence as the doctor was called onto the pitch before Wanless was carefully moved, face down, onto the stretcher and towards the dressing rooms. It emerged after the match that he suffered a bad head wound that required ten stitches, but they were administered at the ground and did not require hospital treatment.

Play resumed a few minutes later after Neil Mustoe had come on to replace Wanless, and in the 61st minute Preece saw his close range shot partly saved by Perez and Ian Ashbee hooked it away from adjacent to the line as Barnes homed in. Nathan Lamey replaced Zema Abbey in the 72nd minute, to boos from a crowd eager to find a new hero. With United posing little or no threat the lack of cohesion was summarised in the 76th minute when John Hansen's cross found Taylor in the area, but his nod down was to no-one but a Bury defender.

Bury were able to exploit the gaps as the U's pressed forward looking for a goal, and they really should have wrapped it all up after 82 minutes. Duncan's slip let in Barnes but his attempted lob was palmed away one-handed by Perez, and when Read followed up and attempted the same thing, he missed the target. Hansen's persistence then won a corner in the 93rd minute but, like much of United's midfield player, that went to waste, and the match ended with Neil Mustoe and Dean Barrick involved in a petulant scuffle.

Match summary: "It looks as though all our fears are starting to be realised - plenty of attractive build up, lots of hard work, but nothing to show for it, and if you don't take your chances when you're on top you're in trouble."

Man of the Match: Mark agreed with the sponsors' choice of Tom Cowan - "A cool player on a hot day."

Ref watch: "Mr Wiley controlled it reasonably well in the heat, especially after last season's explosive encounter." 7/10

Results on Saturday 12th August 2000

  Bristol Rovers   1-1   AFC Bournemouth        8,046
Cambridge United   0-1   Bury                   3,654
      Luton Town   0-1   Notts County           7,059
        Millwall   2-0   Reading               11,043
Northampton Town   1-1   Brentford              6,379
 Oldham Athletic   4-1   Port Vale              5,639
   Oxford United   0-1   Peterborough United    5,870
Rotherham United   2-3   Walsall                5,200
      Stoke City   0-0   Wycombe Wanderers     14,532
    Swansea City   0-0   Wigan Athletic         8,391
    Swindon Town   0-0   Colchester United      7,296
         Wrexham   0-2   Bristol City           5,852