BURY are being taught a very harsh lesson that last season’s exploits count for nothing.

The team worked hard for nine months to earn a reputation as one of the best in League Two, and they will have to match that once again if they are to retain that tag.

On the evidence of their second half performance against the Championship’s Baggies, they can do just that. Unfortunately, the first 45 was way below par and cost them a money-spinning Carling Cup run.

Mistakes by Paul Scott and Michael Jones saw Bury 2-0 down inside 25 minutes and they were always on the back foot from then on against a side that was in the Premier League last season.

“In the first half, as good a team as West Brom are with their talented players, I don’t like to think that was my team out there,” said manager Alan Knill.

“I was disappointed with the first- half performance but I’ll take the second. We were good in the second half. The first goal was too easy. Even though he finished it well, it was too easy for him to score. The second one came from our free-kick. It’s just basic mistakes that have cost us.”

The fact the Sky cameras were at Gigg Lane suggested this was a banana skin for the Baggies, but they were always in command once Scott let them in after just five minutes.

The Shakers captain hesitated on the ball for too long and when Fillipe Teixeria’s shot was blocked, Graham Dorrans fired past Wayne Brown.

Albion thought they were two-up in the 17th minute when Simon Cox tapped in after a barnstorming run from Craig Beattie, but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Bury struggled to impose themselves and conceded a second after 25 minutes when Jones sliced a cross from the right into his own net.

Things went from bad to worse on the half hour when striker Danny Carlton was forced off with an injury.

Roberto Di Matteo’s men looked a class act, despite missing five players through international duty, and they should have made it three when Beattie fired over after a swift counter-attack.

To their credit, Bury stuck to their principles and had chances to haul themselves back into the contest in the second half. Jones fired wide from the edge of the area while Efe Sodje had an headed effort ruled out for offside.

Ryan Lowe, who led the line well, fired a shot wide of Dean Kiely’s goal on the 38-year-old’s return to Gigg Lane.

Substitute Domaine Rouse offered a new dimension while Richie Baker and Simon Johnson also impressed after their introduction from the bench. Stephen Dawson showed again that he has the attributes to go further in the game. On the rare occasion when the visitors gave the ball away in the first half, Dawson was there to get an effort on target.

But, in truth, the Baggies always had an extra gear

Bury: Brown 6, Scott 6, Futcher 6, Sodje 6, Buchanan 6, Racchi 6 (Johnson 6, 60), Barry-Murphy 6 (Baker 6, 55), Dawson 7, Jones 6, Lowe 6, Carlton 6 (Rouse 6, 29). Subs not used: Cresswell, Belford, Patel.

West Brom: Kiely 7, Zuiverloon 8, Mattock 7, Martis 8, Bennett 7, Olsson 8, Reid 8, Teixeria 7, Cox 7 (Wood 6, 80), Beattie 8, Dorrans 8. Subs not used: Greening, Carson, Valero, Moore, Samuels, Knight.

Attendance: 3,077

Referee: Rob Shoebridge (Derbyshire)