Bury 2 Macclesfield 1 By Phil Thorp: THE bad sequence of results that blighted September was ended with aplomb thanks to a rejuvenated Jon Newby.

Making his first league start since the opening day of the season, he scored one and set up Dave Nugent for a second half winner as the Shakers showed all their fighting qualities to come back from a goal down.

They took the game to the visitors from the start but it looked like being a familiar sorry story when, after nine minutes, the Silkmen took an early lead totally against the run of play.

Once again the defensive frailties that have cost in recent weeks reared their ugly head as Jon Parkin was allowed space in the box to set up Danny Whittaker.

Glyn Garner got a hand to his powerful effort but the ball fell kindly for Matthew Tipton to head into an empty net.

Crucially, the goal didn't knock the home side out of their stride and twice in the space of a minute Dwayne Mattis might have levelled with a powerful shot that Fettis could only push away and a header from a Brian Barry-Murphy corner that John Miles hooked clear of the line.

A six-nil corner count in Bury's favour after the first 20 minutes told its own story but for all their measured play it was a route one move that allowed them to restore parity.

A huge wind-assisted clearance from Garner bamboozled the Macclesfield defence with their central defenders leaving the ball for Fettis.

Unbeknown to them, the keeper only realised too late and Newby showed excellent pace and anticipation to beat him to the ball before side-footing home.

Leading scorer Nugent was a constant threat to the visitors' defence and he almost put his side into the lead two minutes after the break when Mattis sent Newby away down the right and his cross found the youngster in the box.

Unfortunately his effort was blocked by Tony Barras then, a minute later, Tom Kennedy saw a powerful shot headed cleared off the line by Michael Briscoe as the Shakers turned the screw.

When Swailes headed another decent chance over the bar from a Flitcroft free-kick it looked like being another frustrating day for the Gigg Lane men until they were rewarded in the 77th minute.

It was the never-say-die attitude of Barry-Murphy that was instrumental in carving the chance out of nothing.

With Fettis set to launch a long ball down the field, the Irishman charged him and threw himself at the clearance for a fine block. His subsequent cross from the right found Newby in the box who, in turn laid the ball off for Nugent to hit a first time shot past Fettis into the bottom corner.

It wasn't the cleanest connection with the ball 'The Nooge' has made this season but it had the desired effect and the Shakers were on their way to their first three points since the end of August.

BURY FORMGUIDE:

Garner 6, Unsworth 6, Swailes 6, Challinor 7, Woodthorpe 6, Mattis 7, Flitcroft 6 (Whaley 70), Barry-Murphy 7, Kennedy 6, Nugent 7 (Dunfield 90), Newby 8 (Kazim-Richards 78). Subs not used: Barrass and Smith.

Referee: Mr Graham Laws

Attendance: 2,859