THEY might have ridden their luck at times, and they certainly made things difficult for themselves, but Bury’s victory at Macclesfield on Tuesday evening showed real guts and character.

After storming into a three-goal lead within 36 minutes, courtesy of strikes from Michael Jones, Ryan Lowe and Nicky Ajose, the Shakers left their defensive door ajar and the spirited Silkmen scored a quickfire double to test the nerve of their promotion-chasing visitors.

But, after a dogged defensive display in the second period, Lowe notched his second of the game, and 17th of the season, to seal a crucial three points and prove that Bury are firmly back in the promotion shake-up.

“It was always going to be a tough game – and so it proved,” said manager Alan Knill. “We thought we were comfortable at 3-0 but we let them back into it and I’m pleased we managed to see the game out in the second half.

“We probably should have scored more goals on the counter-attack – we were pretty wasteful – but four goals away from home is a pretty good effort.

“I was not happy about the two goals we conceded but Cameron (Belford), who should have done better for their second goal, made some top saves in the second half and you have to give him credit for that.”

Bury got off to the perfect start when the ball broke to Jones on the edge of the box and the winger’s low shot nestled into the bottom corner.

And the Shakers looked like they had the points in the bag once Lowe, in the 33rd minute, and Ajose got on the scoresheet in the space of three minutes.

Lowe’s strike took a wicked deflection while Ajose latched onto a ball over the top, rounded the onrushing goalkeeper, and calmly slotted home his seventh goal of the season.

The Silkmen hit back almost immediately with a quickfire double salvo of their own as Ross Draper and Tyrone Barnett capitalised on some sloppy defending to breath fresh life into the match.

Jones was the culprit for the first goal, giving the ball away on the edge of his area, while Belford made a hash of his challenge after coming off his line, and Barnett headed into an empty net.

Knill’s men could have restored their two-goal advantage within a minute of the restart but Lowe’s shot was straight at Jose Veiga before, at the other end, Nat Brown headed over the crossbar from six yards out.

And the visitors were indebted to a fantastic double save from Belford at the feet of both Draper and Barnett.

Macclesfield looked like they had equalised when Ricky Sappleton rounded the keeper and stroked the ball home, only for Efe Sodje’s goal-line clearance to deny them.

But as Gary Simpson’s side committed extra men forward, gaps started to appear at the back and Lowe and David Worrall should have done better with chances on the break.

The icing on the cake came in the 86th minute when substitute Andy Bishop sent Lowe scampering clear and a sublime finish put the result beyond doubt.

The positive attacking play far outweighed the negative defending which, at times, threatened to undermine another quality show in the final third.

MACCLESFIELD: Veiga 6, Reid 6, Brown 6, Morgan 6 (Diagne 6, 8), Chalmers 7 (Hamshaw 6, 78), Draper 7, Daniel 7, Bolland 7, Gray 6, Barnett 7, Mukendi 7 (Sappleton 6, 63). Subs not used: Cudworth, Bencherif, Sinclair, Lowe.

BURY: Belford 7, Picken 7, Lees 6, Sodje 8, Skarz 7, Haworth 5 (Worrall 6, 74), Mozika 9, Schumacher 7, Jones 7 (Bennett 6, 90), Ajose 7 (Bishop 7, 83), Lowe 8. Subs not used: Futcher, Sweeney, John-Lewis, Bennett, Branagan. Attendance: 1,267 (463 Bury fans). Referee: N Swarbrick (Preston).