BURY staged a classic smash and grab raid to end a run of three successive defeats.

The Shakers, with Lee Jones in goal 24 hours after signing on loan from Blackpool, snatched the lead against the run of play in the 18th minute from their first meaningful attack.

Glynn Hurst raced clear down the left and his clever ball into the area fell kindly to Andy Bishop, as two defenders failed to clear.

Bishop side-stepped keeper Carl Muggleton, only for central defender Alex John-Baptiste to recover and block his shot. However, the rebound fell straight to the unmarked Marc Pugh who slammed in from close range and was then booked for his celebrations.

Until then the visitors had struggled to get out of their own half with Brian Barry-Murphy making several vital tackles on the edge of the area and Chris Brassé brave lunge deflecting a Simon Brown blockbuster.

When Mansfield did get a shot on target, Jones saved comfortably from former Stockport wingman Matt Hamshaw, held Jon Olav Hjeldeés header under the bar and dived full length to claw away Giles Cokeés curling drive.

Those saves proved vital when hesitant home defending from a Pugh cross allowed Hurst, against his former club, to shoot into the bottom corner from 12 yards, his tame 51st minute finish somehow evading Muggletonés late dive to the foot of the post.

The goal took the sting out of the game, although Bury were fortunate to escape conceding a 71st minute penalty when Brass seemed to wrestle substitute Danny Reet to the ground.

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