The first match under Dave McNabb ended in victory as a first-half Gaz Peet strike proved to be enough for three points.

The visitors FC Isle of Man crossed the Irish Sea and arrived in Bury in impressive numbers for a Tuesday night match and were in fine voice all night. Bury’s own support were also in high spirits welcoming the new management team taking charge for the first time. For the third match in a row it was an unchanged starting eleven for the Shakers though there was a welcome return for Benito Lowe on the bench.

Much of the first half was hard going, with neither side able to break down the opposing defence the match became bogged down in an attritional midfield battle.

Most of the chances the visitors created came from set pieces. Bury had conceded from a corner on the weekend but this time were prepared. Atkinson was forced to tip one bouncing ball over the bar when it appeared to be creeping goalwards.

At the other end it was up to Connor Comber to cut out the first clear chances for Bury. Winning the ball in the Isle of Man third, he spun around his marker and fired on goal but only brushed the side netting. Next, he latched onto a through-ball by Jones-Griffiths but was judged to have set off too early by the linesman’s flag.

Finally, his efforts reaped their rewards. A long ball down the right wing was headed on by Andy Briggs onto the charging Comber. His deep cross found Gaz Peet on the opposite wing who brought the ball down deftly with his left foot before shooting goalwards with his unfamiliar right boot. The ball curled into the bottom corner to give Bury the lead.

Bury had a couple more chances in the first half to double their advantage. Shakeel Jones-Griffiths slipped the ball to Briggs who battled his way through a packed centre of the field and managed a sight of goal however his shot in the end lacked power. Briggs then turned provider setting up Peet but his left-footed effort blazed wide.

The second half was another hard spell for Bury. The Manx side were far better at keeping possession and it seemed a Ravens equaliser was more likely than a Shakers second. However despite this the visitors couldn’t turn their advantage into a goal-scoring opportunity. Free kicks were fired high and wide, crosses into the box missed their targets and even the introduction of their imperious number 9 Sean Doyle couldn’t force Atkinson into action.

In fact the tide turned Bury’s way late on in the half, the introduction of attacking substitutes including Lowe put the Isle of Man back on their heels. A Lowe cross just missed connecting with Gilboy, another Benito run in the box followed by him being bundled over had the South Stand demanding a penalty but the referee waved away the appeals. Lowe seemed destined to score from his next chance played in by fellow sub Saj Elhassan, Ravens keeper Ben Wilkinson did just enough to put the forward off from shooting. When he finally did get a shot off it was into the side netting from the tightest of angles.

Bury might have finished the visitors off in stoppage time, the Manx defence collapsed and Elhassan had a shot on goal well saved by Wilkinson, had he squared the ball to either Lowe or Gilboy further across it would have likely been an open goal opportunity.

In the end, the one goal was all that was needed as Bury begin their new era on the back of three league wins on the trot and only one goal conceded in that time.