BURY AFC head in to tomorrow's derby clash with Prestwich Heys in fine form after four-goal hero Tom Greaves inspired them to a 6-2 victory over AFC Darwen.

Having not played since beating Steeton on the opening day of the season - with games against Holker Old Boys and Pilkington both postponed - AFC made up for lost time with a thumping win to move up to fifth place in North West Counties League First Division North.

The game was finely poised at 3-2 - with Darwen fighting back from 3-0 down - until Greaves scored three times in the final 18 minutes to take his tally to six goals in two games.

Bury came out of the blocks fast, Greaves with the first good chance on four minutes. His header at the back post from a Aiden Chippendale cross bounced under the jumping ‘keeper Stefan Holden but lacked the power and stopped on the line quite comfortably.

Darwen's first chance came in the 10th minute when Leon Creech blocked a clearance from keeper Ed Wilczynski following a poor back pass but the striker was unable to hit the target from out wide.

Bury took a deserved lead in the 25th minute albeit in fortunate circumstances when Chippendale's cross from the right flew over Holden and into the opposite top corner of the goal.

Greaves grabbed his first five minutes later when he coolly rounding the keeper to double AFC's lead.

Bury had a let off just before the break when Darwen had an effort scrambled off the line by captain Scott Metcalfe however Andy Welsh's side were 3-0 up soon after the restart when Chippendale raced on a through ball, skipped around the on-rushing Holden to slot the ball in to an empty net.

The game appeared beyond Darwen but they mounted an immediate fightback when Matthew Johnson headed home to cut the deficit.

With 20 minutes to go, Darwen grabbed a second through Leon Creech but that is where the fightback finished as Greaves settled any nerves around Neuven Stadium when he scored his second just two minutes later with a neat side-foot finish.

Greaves then completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute when he tapped home a cross from Kris Holt.

With victory assured, it was fitting that Greaves had the last word scoring his fourth and Bury AFC's sixth in stoppage time.