Three first-half goals saw Bury ease into the first round proper of this season’s FA Vase at Gigg Lane on Saturday.

Manager Dave McNabb refreshed a busy squad making six changes to the starting eleven from Tuesday and was soon rewarded. Ruben Jerome played through by a ball over the top beat the last defender for pace and was left one-on-one with Burscough goalkeeper Kier Barry. The keeper saved the initial effort but was powerless to stop the second that softly rolled into the back of the net to give Bury the lead in the eighth minute.

The Shakers pressed their early advantage with both Rustam Stepans and Bryan Ly firing shots just wide of Barry’s goal before the Linnets keeper had to make a smart low save from a Ly free kick.

Eventually, the barrage of attacks meant Bury broke through again. Another Ly free-kick from a similar spot saw Barry make another save but the loose ball bounced into the path of Ben Hockenhull who had an easy tap-in to double the Shakers' lead.

Soon the hosts had a three-goal advantage, Jerome cutting in on the left side pulled the ball back to the oncoming Rustam Stepans who finished well to put Bury in a commanding lead going into the break.

Into the second-half Bury looked to extend their lead, Connor Pye going closest with a powerful shot destined for the top corner before Barry got a hand to it. Ly continued to look dangerous but could never find the finishing touch while substitute Alex Cherera blazed an effort over the bar when played through by Andy Briggs.

Briggs himself had a header saved and Iyrwah Gooden put a good chance over but as the match entered the closing moments the visitors finally came to life. Substitute Daniel Foden glided through the Bury defence and fired a shot that beat Shakers stopper Mitch Allen but cannoned off the post. Minutes later Saad Mekkaoui-Abouzaid had a great shot well saved by the suddenly busy Allen before Che Trapasso-Tully, only recently back on the pitch following a sin-binning, saw his chance to score. His firmly hit long-range effort was comfortably saved by Allen.

Bury saw out the match securing their clean sheet and a place in the first round proper. This was their third competition played in a week and with so many plates spinning matches are coming thick and fast but as long as the Shakers unbeaten run continues no one seems to mind.