A Jacob Holland-Wilkinson goal proved enough for Bury to claim all three points in a hard fought 1-0 win over Glossop North End, writes James Beedie.

The match was a replay of the inaugural fixture of the season, Bury had won the opening day contest 5-1 but due to an ineligible player being introduced in the closing stages the result was void, Bury received a three point penalty and the match would have to be played again.

Only one Bury player from that previous match was including in the lineup, Benito Lowe continuing to hold his place in the forward line in a starting 11 unchanged from the recent win over FC Isle of Man.

Unlike the opening day fixture, Bury were under attack from the off with Abdul Djalo leading the charge. Reacting quickly to a Glossop free kick Djalo sent a cross into the Bury box that just needed a finish from one of his teammates to take the lead. Djalo thought he had got a goal himself soon after, stealing the ball off the foot of Oli Kilner before slipping the ball beyond Harry Wright into the back of the net. The referee ruled Wright had been fouled by Djalo in the process and the goal was chalked off.

The home side responded finding most of their early success down the right flank. Wing back Jacob Holland-Wilkinson twice breaking through the Hillmen defence and sending a cross to Bury forward Dec Daniels. The second occasion earned Bury a corner from which they nearly scored, an Oli Jepson header caused chaos in the Glossop box as the ball hit the bar and was cleared off the line.

Bury pushed again, a delightful throughball by Kilner reached Holland-Wilkinson. His cross to Lowe was just a little beyond the forward’s reach. Both sides had chances in the first half – Glossop’s Tom Lawless fired just wide of the post and a Benito Lowe free header missed the target – but neither side truly took grasp of the match played on a difficult surface wrecked by a long winter and the two sides entered the break without a goal being scored.

As has become habit at Bury recently a disappointing first half display is usually met by a renewed burst of energy after the break and so it proved once again. Within seconds of the restart a long ball by Lowe found Sam Burns in the Glossop box but he was unable to take a meaningful shot.

The goal came soon afterwards. Once again taking advantage of the visitor’s high line, Andy Scarisbrick played a gorgeous throughball out to the right from his own half directed towards the onrushing Holland-Wilkinson. The Bury born wide man beat the keeper to the ball and slipped the ball past Ellis Allen to give the Shakers the lead with first time strike.

The Shakers could have grabbed a quick second. Down the left wing and great passage of play between Arthur Lomax-Jones and Sam Burns left the forward clean through on goal but his attempted curled shot was some way off target. Bury did have the ball in the back of the net, Lomax-Jones getting the final touch onto a Holland-Wilkinson cross but the flag had already been raised for a Bury player straying offside in the build up.

As time passed tired legs lead to Bury losing the impetus but Glossop North End never looked likely to find an equaliser with Harry Wright seldom troubled.

After a protracted spell of added time the referee called full time on a fixture the Shakers have been looking to get out of the way for months. The result leaves Bury alone at the top of the table though staying there will depend on Dave McNabb’s side continuing to find ways to win.

Next up is the Tuesday night clash with third-placed Wythenshawe - a match that could go a long way to deciding Bury’s promotion push.