BURY picked up their first away win of the season on Friday night to give caretaker boss Chris Casper a massive boost in his bid to secure the job full-time.

Two second half goals did the trick for the Gigg Lane men and that margin was the least they deserved from a superb display.

Casper bravely switched to a 4-4-2 formation and his tinkering paid dividends as the victory hauled the Shakers out of the League Two relegation places.

In Simon Whaley they had the game's shining light and the talented 20-year-old was at the heart of most of the Shakers' best endeavours.

As early as the fifth minute he put a superb right wing cross on to the head of Jon Newby whose effort was deflected for a corner.

Just after the half hour he delivered a pinpoint corner that was met by Paul Scott who brought a good save out of Rushden keeper Jamie Young.

At the other end Neil Edwards did not have a shot to save throughout the first 45 minutes.

After the break Bury began to open up the Diamonds defence at will.

Dwayne Mattis headed a fine Tom Kennedy cross across the face of the goal when well placed, then, after capitalising on a defensive slip, Allan Smart completely scuffed a shot at Young when he only had the keeper to beat.

The seemingly inevitable breakthrough arrived in the 57th minute.

Again, Whaley was involved as his drilled ball into the box was spilled by Young, straight into the path of Mattis who made no mistake from 10 yards.

A knee injury forced Smart to be stretchered off after 63 minutes and he was replaced by Matthew Tipton who was back from a three-match absence due to injury.

Tipton wasted no time in proving what a talent he is by slipping a clever ball into the path of Newby who was cynically tripped on the edge of the box by Peter Hawkins.

Hawkins received a yellow card for the offence but with Newby clean through it was a lenient decision.

But the Shakers made the home side pay by doubling their account when Whaley lashed the free kick into the top corner from 25 yards.

There was never any chance of Bury relinquishing their lead and the only notable save Edwards had to make was to palm away a powerful cross-cum-shot by Chris O'Grady.

Tipton might have added a third three minutes from time when he was set up by Dave Flitcroft but the striker skied his first time shot over the bar.

"We got a foothold into the game early on although and I told the players to be patient at half-time," said Casper.

"There were a lot of chances created in the second half and we probably could have been a bit more clinical.

"But a 2-0 win away from home against a hard-working team is a good result."

Bury: Edwards, Kennedy, Challinor, Woodthorpe, Flitcroft, Mattis, Smart (Tipton 63), Scott, Whaley, Buchanan, Newby (Barry-Murphy 84). Subs not used: Dootson, Hardiker and Adams.

Attendance: 2,639.