Goals from Connor Comber and Dean Pinnington ensured Bury emerged victorious in their first-ever league meeting with near neighbours Ramsbottom United and rendered Matt Birchall’s late finish as merely a consolation for the Rams.

The fixture had been delayed and postponed so many times that this first league meeting would be just the first of two to take place within the space of nine days and with another rainy day on a suffering pitch it was a surprise to some that this fixture was allowed to go ahead at all.

With one eye on the last of the week’s home fixtures against Padiham, Bury manager Dave McNabb kept key players Andy Briggs, Andy Scarisbrick and Max Harrop on the bench handing starts to Sam Coughlan and Dean Pinnington.

The match got off to the ideal start for the Shakers. In just the seventh minute Coughlan slipped the ball through to Connor Comber to finish smartly into the bottom corner giving Bury the lead.

While Bury had the lead it was the visitors who did most of the early pressing. Harvey Hayhurst and Matt Birchall sent in crosses but none found their mark.

At the other end, Jacob Holland-Wilkinson fired a snapshot wide of the post, pouncing on the loose ball after Pinnington was brought down in the box but only a goal kick was awarded.

An early attack in the second half saw Coughlan, Holland-Wilkinson and Pinnington all have shots blocked as the Shakers sought the comfort of a two-goal lead.

The Rams struck back, Harvey Whyte had a shot saved by Wright while Oli Jepson’s late intervention blocked a powerful shot from close range by Oumar Camera. Bury’s defence was under siege early in the second-half but against the run of play the home side doubled their advantage.

A long ball forward found Pinnington. Pulled back and dragged down by Rams defender Tommy Lent, Pinnington overpowered him and outpaced the rest of the chasing pack leaving him one-on-one with Ramsbottom keeper Chris Thompson. Pinnington slipped the ball under the keeper and into the back of the net for his first Bury goal at a crucial moment in the match and the season.

It could have been all over late in the match, Shakers substitute pair Andy Briggs and debutant Tanaka Cherera both could have put the result beyond doubt. Briggs headed the ball barely over the bar from the type of Gaz Peet cross that Briggs has put away many times before this season while the energetic and agile forward Cherera saw a fine shot pushed around the post by Thompson.

The two-goal lead was reduced just as the match crossed into stoppage time. Birchall cutting in from the left lifted a ball over Wright and into the back of the net.

With goal difference a factor in Bury’s promotion calculations they could have done without being drawn back into the match but it could have been so much worse. Deep into injury-time, Luke Sephton fell in the Bury box under pressure from Keenan Ferguson but despite the appeals from his teammates and Ramsbottom fans in the stands the referee waved away their appeals and Bury were able to see the match out and take maximum points.

Another hurdle completed in a long and gruelling season but there have been few contests quite as punishing as that match. Bury’s promotion campaign continues but they will have to repeat the feat against the same opponents all over again on 20th April to have any chance at the title.