Top of the table Bury won 2-0 away to near neighbours Prestwich Heys. The Shakers fifth victory in a row denting the Heys recent run of good form and their own battle to avoid relegation.

There were a few changes to the Bury lineup. The team switching to a 3-4-3 formation with wing-backs allowed Bebeto Gomes and Connor Pye to start. Gaz Peet, Louis Jeanne, and Aiden Walker completed the Bury defence while Josh Gregory partnered Cam Fogerty in central midfield. Up front DJ Pedro was flanked by Lewis Byrne and Tyler James. On the bench there was room for latest signing Reece Kendall.

It was a slow start for both sides with chances few and far between. Tyler James brought the ball down well for Bebeto Gomes to shoot but his shot was well over the bar. Gomes would have another shot, a tame effort that momentarily fooled Heys keeper Harry Allen who knocked it away for a corner.

The first real chance of quality came when Connor Pye did well to collect a long ball forward, broke into the box, and cut inside to shoot. After all the hard work his shot was blocked but the loose ball fell to the oncoming Josh Gregory. Making his first start since November Gregory bounded forward and hooked the ball beyond the keeper and into the far corner of the goal for a coolly taken finish.

It was nearly two shortly afterwards. Lewis Byrne was able to dance his way through the Prestwich defence, his shot on the turn beat the keeper but hit the post. Tyler James fired a volley from a Pedro cross that Harry Allen did very well to save while Bebeto Gomes got in behind the home defence but his cross couldn’t find a yellow shirt.

The second half continued as the first had started with neither side able to create many chances. There was one early opportunity for Bury with Gomes and Byrne combining well on the right to tee up Tyler James to shoot. His deflected effort went out for a corner.

The hosts began to create chances of their own. Takura Sambizi looked most dangerous. In the first half a cross of his had to be intercepted at the last moment by Peet and early in the second a shot from the left wing flashed beyond the far post of Mitch Allen’s net.

Josh Gregory had a chance to score his second of the day going for goal from a free kick and forcing a save out of Harry Allen before at the other end a Sambizi cross was headed over the crossbar by substitute Lee Grimshaw.

As the match wore on neither side were able to find the next great chance. Bury, cautious over their one-goal lead, had not kept a clean sheet in ten matches and knew a second goal would have to be found. As long as parity was just one goal away Prestwich Heys had a chance. Even a point from the day could go a long way to secure their survival.

Deep into added time and with Bury seemingly running down the clock with Pedro holding the ball up in the corner it looked as though this would be a one-goal game. There was however one more chance. Substitute Rustams Stepans stole the ball off the boot of a tired defender inside the box. He pulled the ball back to fellow substitute Bryan Ly who finished well into the bottom corner to secure a win for the Shakers.

The match passed without further incident, the visitors were glad to collect another three points and an important clean sheet. Ten matches remain for Bury and as the season now turns into the home straight the Shakers will be glad to see themselves top ahead of the run-in.