Goals in either half from Josh Gregory and Lewis Byrne handed Bury a 2-0 victory over Barnoldswick Town at Gigg Lane bolstering their promotion hopes as the season finale crawls ever closer.

Naming a largely unchanged squad from a convincing 7-0 win the week before Bury hoped they would find similar success against a side with little to play for. Both relegation and promotion are no longer a concern for a Barnoldswick side mired in midtable mediocrity.

The Shakers, however, found a stout opponent in Barlick. While the Pendle club rarely looked like scoring, their quick and direct wing play and high-pressing defence were a constant threat as the visitors counterattacked in a low-scoring contest.

Bury had the first chance of the match Bebeto Gomes weaving his way around defenders to send in a cross from the right. Lewis Byrne got on the end of it but his effort was blasted over the crossbar.

The hosts didn’t have to wait much longer for a goal however, a Rustam Stepans corner played on by DJ Pedro was poked home at close range by Josh Gregory. Bury’s player of the month for February continuing his rich vein of form.

The Shakers could have extended their lead, Byrne latching onto a Reece Kendall pass rounded the Barnoldswick goalkeeper but forced to shoot quickly at a tight angle couldn’t keep his shot on target. Byrne again had a good chance to score played through by Stepans who had intercepted a loose Barlick pass. One-on-one with the goalkeeper Jack Howard, Byrne could only shoot straight at the stopper. There was a near carbon copy later in the half as Byrne intercepted a pass playing in Pedro who again couldn’t beat Howard.

At the other end the closest the away side came to scoring was Lewis Farmer who finding himself all alone in the final third could only shoot directly at Mitch Allen in the Bury goal.

Early in the second-half, the visitors had their best chance to grab an equaliser. Bury failed to adequately clear a Barnoldswick corner and from the resulting cross defender Brandon Barski put in a header that rattled the crossbar.

Pushing hard for the safety of a second goal the Shakers did have the ball in the back of the net on the hour, substitute Tyler James finishing well into the bottom corner, but the linesman’s flag had already been raised.

The second goal did arrive soon afterwards. Stepans again stealing the ball off the foot of a Barnoldswick defender burst into the box, he squared the ball to the open Lewis Byrne who placed a fine shot beyond Howard to double Bury’s advantage.

The closest Barnoldswick came to grabbing a goal back came from another corner that Bury were not able to clear. The ball bounced around the Shakers penalty area before Barski again had a shot that was cleared off the line by Cam Fogerty.

The Shakers ought to have put the result beyond doubt with Stepans firing a shot straight at Howard that the keeper saved well and Tyler James firing a shot over the bar from a good Nicky Adams cross but the two goals coupled with a third consecutive clean sheet were enough to collect all three points.