Bury staged a second-half comeback to emerge victorious over West Didsbury and Chorlton, beating the visitors 2-1 at Gigg Lane.

Out on the pitch manager Dave McNabb stuck with the same formation that saw victory over Prestwich Heys the week before. Reece Kendall was handed his first start as part of a defensive back three. Rustam Stepans returned to the attack and with both Bobby Carroll and Gaz Peet on the bench Josh Gregory took over captaincy duties.

Very early in the match the away side had the ball in the back of the net. Lewis Billingsley cutting in from the right teed up Jordan Lazenbury. His shot was followed in by former Shaker Andy Briggs in his first return to Gigg Lane. Briggs, standing in an offside position inadvertently saved the Bury defence from an early deficit.

The rest of the first half was a tightly fought contest. Neither defence gave much away and chances were few and far between. Bury managed to enjoy the lion’s share of possession and gradually brought the match to West Didsbury and Chorlton.

A Rustam Stepans free kick was a good opportunity for Bury to test former Radcliffe stopper Ollie Martin now between the sticks at West. The set piece however took a wicked deflection off Josh Gregory and bounced harmlessly wide. Stepans would have another chance played in by Lewis Byrne after a Connor Pye cross, Stepans however was crowded out by a swarming West defence before he could take the shot. Gregory got in on the act, beating his marker and placing a shot to the bottom corner that Martin did well to get down to save.

Just before half-time, both sides had their best chances to score in the half. A West Didsbury counter-attack freed Billingsley to shoot on goal with only Mitch Allen to beat. The Bury keeper did well to make the save and hang onto the ball to prevent any follow-up. At the other end a Bury long throw was headed on by Gregory into a mass of players, Aiden Walker rose highest and directed the ball goalwards. A superb reflex save on the line by Martin stopped Bury going in at the break with the lead.

While the Shakers may have shaded the first-half they were immediately presented with a challenge to start the second. A great ball was slotted through to Briggs, he was tackled before he could take the shot, Lazenbury claimed the loose ball and after he saw his first shot blocked by Allen he found the back of the net with his second.

In the away fixture once West Didsbury and Chorlton claimed the lead there was no way back for Bury but in this match the Shakers showed a great deal more resolve and took the match to the visitors. A Bebeto Gomes cross found Pedro who was crowded out in the box, the loose ball fell to Kendall who fired off target. A Pedro cross narrowly missed Byrne and former Bury man Chris Rowney nearly turned his clearance into his own net.

Rowney was then at the centre of attention again giving away a free-kick just outside the penalty area. Josh Gregory stepped up and showing a great deal of finesse curled a gorgeous shot into the top corner beyond the reach of Martin to grab Bury an equaliser.

West were then hamstrung when defender Curtis Jones was sin-binned for dissent and the away side were reduced to ten men for ten minutes. Bury brought on Ruben Jerome as an extra attacker and never looked back.

The visitors never truly threatened the Bury goal again while Bury poured on the pressure. Though Jones returned to the fray he could only watch as Pedro broke through the West Didsbury high-line defence. He was hauled down with nothing but open space ahead of him but to the dismay of the home crowd there was no punishment beyond a free kick.

A degree of justice was then met when Byrne, fed the ball by a Gomes backheel, was tripped in the box and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. DJ Pedro made no mistake and slammed his effort down the middle to grab the lead.

The Shakers ought to have put the result beyond doubt; Jerome diving to meet a Stepans cross somehow put the shot over the bar from just a yard or two out from goal. Jones then denied Jerome again when Bury briefly had a four-on-one attack on the away defence. Finally, Cam Fogerty nearly claimed a goal of the season candidate weaving his way through defenders from the midfield all the way through the heart of the West Didsbury team to the penalty area. His shot to the top corner was just wide.

Full time sounded on an important but well-deserved victory for the Shakers. Six wins on the bounce since Bury’s defeat away to West Didsbury and Chorlton have seen the Shakers take command of the promotion race. Nine more matches remain, Bury will hope to replicate this type of performance every time.