Manchester City slipped even deeper into relegation trouble as they lost to fellow strugglers Bury at Maine Road.

It was Bury's first win in 17 First Division games and piled more misery on beleaguered City boss Frank Clark.

The win puts Bury level on points with City - behind them only on less goals scored - near the bottom of the table.

Bury deserved the points and clinched them with the only goal of the game seven minutes after the interval.

Mark Patterson's corner was cleared straight back to him on the left touchline.

His second cross to the far post was met by Bury defender Paul Butler and his header sneaked into the net, the ball brushing City substitute Paul Beesley on the way in.

City pressed forward in a desperate bid to equalise, but Bury's defence snuffed out the home attack efficiently.

City's two best efforts came from central defender Kit Symons.

Bury keeper Dean Kiely produced a superb effort to tip over Symons' powerful header from a Lee Crooks' corner midway through the first half.

Symons' second header, from another Crooks corner, went straight at Kiely in the 77th minute.

The rest of the time Bury were in control. City keeper Tommy Wright made a number of fine saves to keep his side on level terms in the first half.

The best came in the 24th minute when the Northern Ireland international dived across his six-yard box to touch away a powerful header by Chris Lucketti from Alan Woodward's cross.

Wright kept out another Lucketti header in the second minute and then dived across his box to take a speculative drive from Woodward.

City created chances, but their finishing was woeful. Record signing Lee Bradbury directed a free header wide after 36 minutes and then fired a shot straight at Kiely when well placed midway through the second half.

Bury left the field to cheers from both sets of fans - for City there were the customary jeers.

Teams

Man City: Wright, Brightwell (Beesley 50), Tskhadadze, Jim Whitley (Conlon 83), Symons, Edghill, Crooks, Russell, Bradbury, Van Blerk, Rosler.

Subs Not Used: Jeff Whitley.

Booked: Bradbury.

Bury: Kiely, Woodward, Small, Daws, Lucketti, Butler, Jemson (Swan 85), Patterson, Armstrong, Johnrose, Ellis (Battersby 90).

Subs Not Used: Rigby.

Booked: Ellis.

Goals: Butler 52.

Att: 28,885

Ref: T Heilbron (Newton Aycliffe).