In their last match of the year 2024 Bury signed off in style beating Prestwich Heys 5-2 at Gigg Lane to maintain their first-place position into the New Year.

Coming only 48 hours after their Boxing Day bout with Ramsbottom United Bury made a number of changes to their busy line-up. Connor Pye and Ben Hockenhull were drafted into defence while Morgan Homson-Smith and Alex Cherera were the starting wingers. Bobby Carroll also made a return to the heart of midfield missing the last match through illness, he took the captain’s armband while those dropped from the starting eleven filled a strong Shakers bench.

The opening period of the match was slow going, even with a fresher team the short gap between matches made for a lethargic start. Bury eventually started to pass the ball around more freely but Heys sat deep and challenged the home side to break them down. DJ Pedro fired a shot over the bar and volleyed wide from a Connor Pye cross but real chances were few and far between.

At the other end barring a spell of early corners Prestwich had not troubled the Bury backline but that was to change halfway through the first half. Alfie Belcher afforded far too much time and space in front of the Bury defence attempted a shot that landed into the bottom corner and from nothing the bottom side in the division led the leaders.

With the added impetus to chase the match Bury finally got into gear. Homson-Smith fed the ball into Alex Cherera who had to quickly turn and shoot. His effort was off target but Bury had started to find gaps in the Prestwich Heys defence.

On 37 minutes Bury got their equaliser. A quick passing move saw the ball played into Cherera from the right, he back-heeled the ball into the path of the extra man coming through on the overlap and Cam Fogerty gladly collected the pass before slotting the ball beyond Harry Allen in the Prestwich goal.

No sooner had Bury got their first they scored their second. Quickly moving on the attack DJ Pedro got their first ball in behind the defence, he sent in a low ball across the face of goal where Cherera was waiting to slam home to grab a quick lead for the Shakers. It could have been three soon afterwards, Pedro again with a cross from the right but this time Bebeto Gomes couldn’t quite reach the chance.

Entering the second-half the home side were growing into the match. The lead was theirs, momentum was on their side, another goal would surely secure the win. Homson-Smith had an early shot saved by Allen who also denied the Bury winger’s cross with Cherera lurking beneath it. Pedro also got a cross into the box but no man in a white shirt could be found.

Gradually chances began to dry up, Homson-Smith won the ball in the box but caught in two minds lost the ball cheaply. With only the one-goal lead Prestwich remained a threat and whenever Bury were off the ball they looked vulnerable.

With twenty minutes to play Prestwich won a free-kick in a dangerous area. Belcher took the set piece and though Mitch Allen looked to have secured the shot at his near post the ball squeezed in and Heys claimed a grateful equalising goal.

Not to be dragged into another frustrating high-scoring draw Bury pushed hard to reclaim the lead. A cross was sent into the box that Bryan Ly claimed. Running away from goal he was clumsily clattered by Brad Sullivan while still in the penalty area. The referee pointed to the spot, Ly dusted himself off and scored his third spot kick in the last week.

From there, Bury never looked back. On the attack again substitute Rustam Stepans fired a blistering shot just wide. Bury’s leading scorer has endured something of a drought recently scoring only once in his last twelve appearances but fed the ball by fellow substitute Nicky Adams, Stepans cut inside and fired a rasping shot that beat Allen and landed in the top corner to cement the Shakers lead.

With the match all but won Bury pushed once more in stoppage time. Gomes, Ly and Coughlan all had chances in a crowded Prestwich box before the ball was pulled back to Stepans in front of goal who had an easy finish for his second and Bury’s fifth of the match.

The full-time whistle sounded and though the final score perhaps flattered Bury the quality of the side was there to see. The narrowest of leads at the top will be carried into the New Year for what the Shakers faithful hope to be a prosperous 2025.