MIKE Jones and Ryan Lowe struck to send Bury into the top three for the first time this season.

Lowe took his tally into double figures with a 32nd minute penalty after former Bolton and Stockport keeper Matt Glennon felled Stephen Dawson.

“We are up there now and it’s upto us to stay there,” said manager Alan Knill. “And that’ s not as easy as it sounds.

“I think it was Tony Pulis who said when you get a pat on the back, you are only a couple of games away from a kick up the backside.

“But we didn’t perform as well as we can and Bradford, for me, were excellent.”

Jones shot Bury in front after 16 minutes from a David Worrall cross. But Efe Sodje turned a Michael Boulding header into his own net for a Bradford equaliser.

Sodje, also booked during an eventful game by Stockport referee Scott Mathieson, thought he'd made amends for his earlier error.

But his second half header was disallowed for offside.

And that ensured the Shakers plenty of worrying moments before sealing victory in their first home game since December 5.

Chris Brandon crashed a shot against Wayne Brown's upright while the keeper made a point blank save from a Matt Clarke header.

But Bury held out and Rotherham’s surprise home defeat by bottom of the table Darlington lifted the Shakers into an automatic promotion place.

Brown 8, Scott 6, Sodje 5, Futcher 6, Buchanan 7, Worrall 7, Dawson 7, Barry-Murphy 6, Jones 7, Morrell 7 Lowe 6; subs not used:Baker, Raachi, Allen, Belford, Newey, McCarthy.

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