Burnley kicked off, with the sun in their eyes but, more importantly, a persistent wind at their backs.

Bury showed good intent from the start, putting the ball through hands allowing winger Josh Jones to give Bury an early entry into the opposition 22.

The first 15 minutes were rather stop-start with handling errors and penalties and both sides suffering injuries requiring players to be replaced.

But it was Burnley who took an early lead with a penalty, 0-3.

Just before the half hour mark, Bury got on the score sheet themselves, courtesy of prop James Jones who ran a good short line to crash over.

Tom Smith converted, 7-3.

Almost straight from the restart, strong carries from Player of the Match Ethan Marsh, then Joe Cooke and then Leo Freschini found Bury back in the Burnley 22 and with good continuity through the phases, the ball soon found its way to Todd Bailey, at centre, who ran through a gap to score his first of the day.

Again, converted by T Smith, 14-3.

Once again, Bury returned the ball well straight from the restart, this time thanks to Garfieh Cheung and more good continuity saw them return to the Burnley 22 and, a number of phases later, Bailey once more reaped the rewards with his 2nd try.

After more injury delays, another Smith conversion took the score to 21-3 with five minutes to go to half time.

This time the restart went deep and Bury kicked to touch.

However, Bury defended well in their own 22 and a smart “jackal” from Freschini allowed Bury to relieve the pressure.

Bury’s bonus point try came shortly afterwards with Freschini finishing off what he started.

28-3.

However, a couple of minutes before half time, the Burnley full back scored a superb solo try, gathering his own chip kick and outpacing the Bury defence.

28-10 at half time.

Unfortunately for the home side, Burnley started the second half as they had finished the first, with the classy-looking full back crossing for his second, five minutes in.

After seeming down and out, Burnley were back in the game, at 28-17.

Bury were not able to capitalise on some promising territorial advantage and were guilty of trying too hard with risky offloads and miss passes.

However, they were eventually able to make the pressure count, with James Jones again making inroads from running good lines and Freschini picked up his second try on the back of the former’s good work.

Another seven-pointer made it 35-17.

Shortly after having hit the posts with a penalty attempt, Smith had another pop and this time was successful to make it 38-17 after 22 minutes of the second half.

Burnley, though, kept themselves in the game by going almost end to end, thanks to some indifferent defence from the home side.

38-24 with some 12 minutes still to play and the visitors started to gain the upper hand both in the tight and with ball in hand.

After more poor decision-making by Bury in the 'red zone', Burnley, once again, capitalised on less than efficient tackling and went from end to end to make it 38-31.

Well and truly 'game on' with less than three minutes to go.

The Bury restart was a good one, high and deep, and the chase was just as good, forcing a knock on into touch in the Burnley 22.

From the lineout, strong carries from Cheung and Marsh got Bury to within two metres of the try line.

Bury went left, then right and skipper Danny Palmieri was able to keep his legs pumping through the contact to bulldoze over and dot down on the line.

Smith converted well from wide out to the right.

45-31 with only seconds to go.

Having already secured themselves a try bonus point, another try would have allowed Burnley to add another losing bonus point and from the deep restart they managed to regain possession.

However, a speculative kick-pass found its way to Bury winger Destiny Achuo who, rather hesitantly, and with a laboured kick into touch, brought about the final whistle to make it three wins from three for the Rams.

Man of the Match Ethan Marsh.

Next week, the 1st XV travel to Ashton-U-Lyne, who currently sit 1 point ahead of them in the league, with the 2nd and 3rd XVs at Radcliffe Road, hosting North Manchester and Aldwinians 3s, respectively.