MACCLESFIELD are hosting a murder mystery night at Moss Rose next month. Perhaps the sleuths could watch a video of this shocker and figure out whether Lewis Gobern dived or was pushed.

The managers were poles apart in their assessment of the incident in the Macc penalty area late in the game, the only real talking point of a relegation bore draw at Gigg Lane.

"It was a dive," said Macc manager Brian Horton. "It was a certain penalty, nailed on," said Bury boss Chris Casper, who was less than happy with the ref.

Referee Trevor Parkes agreed with Horton, and booked on-loan Wolves winger Gobern for simulation after he had come into contact with defender Dave Morley.

Maybe Gobern would have got the nod had he not tried to add dramatic effect to his fall.

Relegation

But no-one was getting too excited about it. Both sides edged a little closer to league safety, especially with neighbours Rochdale losing, but anyone expecting a rip-roaring relegation derby thriller was to be sorely disappointed.

Maybe the sleuths at Moss Rose could also take a look at the video and figure out who murdered this as a football match.

It wasn't the groundsman whodunnit. He and a group of volunteer FC United supporters had done wonders to get the pitch sorted after the Shakers' tenants had played on it three days earlier.

Casper and his players can just about escape suspicion. At least in the second half they pressed forward in semblance of chasing three points, even if the sweat and toil brought little more than a small handful of half-chances.

Perhaps Horton will have the finger of suspicion pointed at him. He was accused on Saturday of being too negative after playing six defenders at Chester - and still losing to a last-minute goal.

But Horton has been around long enough to know that at this stage of the season, with league status at stake, pitches disintegrating and nerves jangling, points are all that matter.

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