There was late heartbreak for the Shakers away in Market Harborough. Dave McNabb’s side falling at the final hurdle of qualifying in the FA Cup lost 1-0 against Harborough Town of the Southern League.

It was an early start for the many hundreds of Shakers faithful who made the journey down to Leicestershire. Victory would take Bury into the first round proper, the place where most of their previous FA Cup journeys began. It would also set a new record in the FA Cup, no side ever before has been drawn away from home in every round of the FA Cup qualifying rounds all against higher level opposition and won the lot.

If Bury hoped to set this record they would need one more win. Standing in their way was Harborough Town, also enjoying their first time in the fourth qualifying round, two levels higher and on their home patch.

Shakers fans were boosted by the news that Alex Cherera would make his first start since returning from international duty, he has scored in every FA Cup match he has played and entered the match with six cup goals. There were also places on the bench for Jack Dunn and Josh Gregory both returning from injury but Bebeto Gomes was a late scratch, Iyrwah Gooden covering in his place.

Harborough Town started the match well forcing an early save from Mitch Allen while  a Bees free-kick was also scrambled away in the opening minutes. In response, Rustam Stepans harried the home defence with a weaving run down the right before sending a testing cross into the box.

The first-half was a battle with neither side able to force their respective styles on proceedings. Harborough’s physical game took its toll especially on prime target Lewis Earl. Bury’s only recognised centre-back was roughed up by forward pair Riley O’Sullivan and Tendai Daire. Both were spoken to by the referee though neither were booked.

When Bury were able to get the ball at their feet they took the game to the hosts. They found most joy on the wings as the wide pairings of Cherera and Connor Pye on the left with Stepans and Gooden on the right put Harborough under pressure but the final ball into the middle was lacking. The closest Bury came was long-range shots from Cherera and Pye that both went wide.

The Bees had a sting in the tail themselves both O’Sullivan and Daire fired good chances off target while winger Ben Starkie finding himself clean through on goal fired a shot that cleared the bar and the back of the stand behind it.

Just before the break Bury had to chance to grab the lead. A quick counter from a long goal kick found Stepans on the right. His cross into the box was good but just eluded the waiting Ruben Jerome and Alex Cherera.

The second-half was tougher on Bury. Playing into the sun a high ball was lost allowing a Daire volley that Allen did well to steer behind for a corner.

Harborough Town enjoyed possession but were wasteful, good chances from set pieces fired wide or directly at Mitch Allen in the Shakers goal. For Bury the toll of constant hits and the long journey ground their attacking output to a halt though Bryan Ly did have a good shot fired just wide of the far post.

It seemed a replay at Gigg Lane was on the cards but a little over ten minutes before time Ben Stephens fell under pressure in the box and the referee awarded a penalty to the home side. Stephens stepped up to take it himself, penalty saving hero of last week Mitch Allen got a hand to the effort but couldn’t prevent it from going in.

From there Bury pushed hard for a way back into the match but hit a yellow wall. Lewis Earl saw a free kick deflected away while substitute Josh Gregory had a header that was all too easily saved. Late on Connor Pye was upended in the penalty area. Loud appeals came up from the visiting spectators but were waved away.

Time ran out on the Shakers in the match as well as on this FA Cup run. It was a brave effort that saw Bury go the distance in qualifying and so nearly take that one step further. Now, however, with the cup over for another season and a new unbeaten run to start the Shakers must shift their attention to the most important aim, the league campaign.