Wycombe Wanderers 0, Bury 0.

WANDERERS fired a blank in front of goal for the third game running as they again had to settle for a point.

Once more Blues had the better of the goalscoring opportunities but they weren’t clinical enough when presented with numerous chances against another side making early inroads at the start of the season.

They weren’t helped by striker Steven Craig being carried off on a stretcher after landing awkwardly, leading to a lengthy break in the play that disrupted the flow of the game.

But it was during what turned out to be 14 minutes of injury time that they had their best chances to break Bury down, as Matt McClure and Peter Murphy both hit the bar in rapid succession.

This wasn’t a bad point gained against another team in the top six at the start of play and it’s a sign of the steps Wanderers are starting to make they will come away disappointed at only claiming a single point.

But if Blues want to keep the pressure up and have aspirations of being a contender this season they simply have to take their chances in front of goal.

This was a third game running they failed to find the back of the net and the fourth time in five matches Wanderers have drawn a blank.

And they came close to falling behind in the second minute as they didn’t stay alert to the danger after initially clearing a corner and the ball was played to an unmarked Andrew Tutte lurking on the edge of the box, and the midfielder’s curling effort cannoned back into play off the crossbar.

After surviving that let-off Wanderers turned defence into attack and nearly snuck in front themselves as Paris Cowan-Hall ghosted forward before pulling his shot wide of the near post with keeper Rob Lainton rooted to the spot.

Another early set piece gave the hosts cause for concern as Matt Ingram fisted Chris Hussey’s corner straight to Danny Mayor, whose first time volley cleared the roof of the stand as he couldn’t get over the ball.

And it was Lainton who was the first keeper to be called upon to make a serious save as Peter Murphy was at his industrious best to win the ball and feed Sam Wood, whose fiercely hit drive from the edge of the area required a fine diving stop from the Bury goalkeeper.

Murphy’s goalscoring from midfield has been a key reason behind Wanderers’ good start but he got things wrong as he scuffed at a chance after Sido Jombati’s persistence had stolen possession off Mayor and led to a cross from Cowan-Hall. Murphy didn’t get a proper connection and the Shakers were able to clear the danger.

Craig stretched to send a header wide of the upright from a Jombati delivery before Cowan-Hall had a shot charged down by Hussey following an intelligent one-two with captain Paul Hayes.

From the resulting corner Blues weren’t able to take another chance that came their way, as a diving Alfie Mawson was inches away from scoring his first Football League when he put his header wide.

Bury reminded their hosts they were still in the game as Tom Soares scooped over the top in a rare opening, before Ingram got down to make a great reflex save to turn Mayor’s shot round the post after Danny Rose had done superbly to prevent the ball from running out of play and teed up his strike partner Ryan Lowe to put in a cross.

An untimely slip then did for Rose as he fell over just as he looked to be clear of the Wanderers defence from an incisive Mayor pass as the highly fancied Lancastrians edged their way back into the game the longer it went on.

But it was the hosts who had the first opening of the second half as Hayes and Craig combined to set up a shooting chance for Wood, whose finish was disappointing as he dragged it across the face of goal.

Hearts were in mouths when Ingram raced out of his box towards the touchline to clear the ball and succeeded only in scuffing it as far as Rose, who was crowded out by Mawson as his shot failed to even reach the edge of the area, let alone the still vacant goal.

Wanderers were forced into making a change on the hour as Craig had to be stretchered off after a heavy fall from an aerial challenge with man mountain Pablo Mills, paving the way for Matt McClure to come on and make his 100th appearance for the club.

The game was halted for nearly ten minutes while the Scotsman received treatment on the pitch, and within seconds of the restart Wycombe wasted another chance to go in front as Hayes powered a header the wrong side of the post.

McClure’s first touch of the game sprayed the ball out wide for Wood to send in a cross for Murphy and the midfielder looked odds-on to add to his three goals for the season, only to be defied by an incredible piece of athleticism by Lainton to somehow turn away his effort from six yards.

Following the lengthy stoppage after Craig’s injury the game started to go flat, as a stretching Cowan-Hall failed to get the necessary pace or direction on his header and Mawson didn’t get any purchase on his shot and watched it bobble through to the waiting Lainton – while at the other end a half chance for substitute Nicky Adams resulted in a header that flew straight into Ingram’s gloves.

No fewer than 11 minutes of stoppage time were signalled and Cowan-Hall had a left footed shot deflected wide after cutting in off the flank.

Then came late drama as first McClure and then Murphy crashed headers off the crossbar as a Joe Jacobson corner caused havoc in the Bury defence, and referee Kevin Johnson ruled Mawson hadn’t quite managed to force the loose ball over the line.

Adams’ scorching drive only just rose over the bar as Bury sensed the game was still there for the taking, and the time allowed to complete the game stretched ever further as Cowan-Hall was also forced off injured after being clattered by Lainton.

But that still wasn’t time enough to force a winner as Wanderers drew for the second Saturday in succession.

Wanderers: Ingram, Jombati, Pierre, Mawson, Jacobson, Cowan-Hall (sub Kretzschmar), Murphy, Rowe (sub Bloomfield), Wood, Craig (sub McClure), Hayes. Substitutes not used: Richardson, Scowen, Walker, Holloway.

Attendance: 3,483 (321 from Bury)