Ben Hockenhull and Bobby Carroll both returned to the starting eleven right away after serving their bans, While Nicky Adams moved to a more comfortable offensive midfield position that Bury supporters are most accustomed with, Carroll reclaimed the captain’s armband and his position in center midfield.
Bury attacked soon away when Rustam Stepans cut inside from the right and fired a shot, which Irlam goalkeeper Elliot Wynne saved with a good save. Stepans would attempt to fire at the near post once more. Wynne was only able to parry, but a defender stopped Bryan Ly’s subsequent attempt.
The home side in response looked to take advantage of the counter attack. They nearly had an early goal of their own when Takura Sambizi forced a save out of Mitch Allen. Beyond that however their threat mainly lay in their set piece play.
Bury would push harder for the opening goal with DJ Pedro heading a chance over the bar, Cam Fogerty seeing a shot blocked and Bryan Ly connecting onto a cross had a volley just miss the target. The Shakers would grab the lead their play deserved on 35 minutes.
A well worked passage of play saw forward DJ Pedro played into the box, choosing not to shoot he laid the ball off to the oncoming Cam Fogerty to blast a shot that beat Wynne and gave Bury the lead and securing the one hundredth goal of the season for the Shakers in all competitions.
While the visitors had worked hard to carve out a lead and were playing well in the first half the fact they could not further extend their advantage became a worry. On a number of occasions this season, including the reverse fixture against Irlam in August, when Bury fail to increase their lead the threat of a comeback looms large over the whole team. For the opening minutes of the second period this seemed to follow the same pattern.
Former Bury striker Dec Daniels now back at the side Dave McNabb had signed him from had his first real opportunity of the match forcing a save from Allen while Sambizi and Mason Everton worked hard down both flanks to put the visitors under more pressure.
It seemed Bury could have grabbed a second goal, Pedro was denied from a point blank save by Wynne and Stepans had another shot well saved but on the hour the home side struck at the other end.
Another Irlam free kick was sent in, this time the ball fell kindly to Andrew Langford who tapped home from close range for Irlam’s equaliser. There was nearly a quick second goal shortly afterwards to confound the Shakers but despite Sambizi doing well to beat Bebeto Gomes his shot was over the bar.
Bury having to start all over again tried to retake the lead, Stepans and Fogerty both fired off target, Pedro hit the target but could only shoot directly to Wynne and while Bury had free kicks of their own they could not fashion them into goals.
The Shakers were handed a lifeline with ten minutes remaining. Pedro breaking through Irlam lines was surged down just outside the penalty box by Langford and Irlam’s goalscorer was shown the red card by the referee, the second Irlam player to be dismissed against Bury this season.
McNabb added more attackers from the bench with Ruben Jerome and Alex Cherera entering the fray, the Shakers had the Irlam defence under siege but could not break through. There was one final chance deep into stoppage time Nicky Adams drilling a shot on goal that was stopped on the line by the hard working Elliot Wynne.
The draw meant Bury missed the chance to claim top spot for the first time this season but did allow them to leapfrog their way to second in the table. It was another disappointing result following a convincing win for the Shakers who produce enough chances to win any match they play but find themselves unable to consistently take full advantage. With back to back matches coming up against the sides currently in first and third place nothing but their best will be enough.
