Despite conceding three penalties away to Longridge Town Bury emerged 5-1 winners extending their unbeaten start to the season to 20 matches, writes James Beedie.

Ruben Jerome, Iyrwah Gooden and Lewis Earl were recalled to the starting lineup while Connor Pye continuing his rich vein of form at left back was preferred to Gaz Peet.

On a bobbling and uneven pitch Bury struggled to play their usual game and with the hosts packing the centre of the pitch with bodies the Shakers best early chances came from balls over the top. One found Iyrwah Gooden on the wing but his cross was pinched out the air by Longridge keeper Mason Walker. Gooden came even closer when a ball intended for Jerome broke through to Bury’s right winger. Walker made a smart save one on one to keep the scores level.

At the other end Lewis Earl nearly gave away a penalty with a tackle on Jefferson De Abreu the referee waved away the protests from the hosts but Earl was less fortunate minutes later with a late foul on centre forward Liam Atkinson. The referee pointed to the spot, Atkinson stepped up to take the kick himself but Mitch Allen guessed the right way and made the save.

After the reprieve Bury went on the attack and won a free kick. Bryan Ly aiming for the top corner forced a good save from the keeper. Later Gooden hit the post with a rasping shot before Lewis Alessandra saw a shot on target blocked by the crowded defence.

Connor Pye came close to breaking the deadlock with a corner that nearly went straight in, his corner was cleared off the line before Gooden fired the rebound over. On the cusp of halftime Bury took the lead, Connor Pye once again tried his corner trick and it worked. The set piece sailed straight into the back of the net brushing the fingertips of Mason Walker as it went in.

Straight into second half Bury doubled their advantage, Gooden stole the ball off the foot of centre back Connor Newton and at last beat Walker in a one on one to make it 2-0 to the Shakers.

The double hit either side of half time seemed only to wake the hosts up and soon Longridge were on the attack. De Abreu was felled in the box by Gomes the referee blew for a penalty just as the hosts slammed the loose ball into the net. After Atkinson’s earlier miss Luke Smith was entrusted with this penalty and he made no mistake, slamming down the middle to bring the Ridge back into the contest.

No sooner had Longridge scored one penalty they earned another. De Abreu brought down once more and Smith again stepped up to take Longridge’s third penalty of the day. Allen was wise to Smith though and saved the low central attempt and held on to keep Bury’s slim advantage.

Dave McNabb rang the changes making a triple substitution. Rustam Stepans, Cam Fogerty and Gaz Peet were added and Bury began to push on. A Bebeto Gomes cross found Ly who could only head over the bar before Bury were awarded a promising looking free kick.

With everyone expecting another Bryan Ly attempt on goal he instead floated a lofted ball out to the right finding the unmarked Gomes. He passed the ball across the face of goal for Ben Hockenhull to tap home.

Longridge Town was not a spent force yet. A slick passing move down the right hand side saw a cross that found the dangerous De Abreu. The Longridge winger placed a free header over the bar.

The Shakers needed another goal to be sure and found it in the impressive Bryan Ly. Played in by a good pass Ly slipped between the two centre backs and lifted the ball over the onrushing Walker to grab Bury’s fourth goal.

From there the visitors never looked back and found a level the hosts couldn’t match. The Shakers added fresh legs for the last ten minutes and substitute Alik Babayan nearly grabbed another late goal. His deflected shot beat Walker but was cleared off the line while Stepans had a shot on goal that Walker pushed over.

The fifth goal arrived thanks to another fine pass from Ly. His wicked cross whipped in sharply was met by the late run of Cam Fogerty who slammed home to complete the second half rout.