Even after somehow wresting back the advantage midway through the second half, Aldershot couldn’t cling on to their lead as Bury scored two goals in two minutes for a deserved victory.
Aldershot took an early lead, Donnelly slaloming into the box and sending in a deflected cross-shot that fell perfectly for Winfield to volley home in a crowded area and should have scored at least once more before Bury equalised. German had one effort blocked at point-blank range by Brown, and saw the rebound ricochet wide, and then, having been clattered by the goalkeeper, Morgan’s penalty was horribly weak. Almost immediately, Parrett saw a fine chance well saved, one on one, and their confidence visibly drained.
Elliott won a rather cheap free-kick, 22 yards out and just right of centre, and Barry-Murphy’s apparently inoffensive drive took a couple of deflections on its way past Jaimez-Ruiz’s fingertips and just inside the post. The Venezuelan was soon receiving treatment on a hip injury and was replaced at half-time by Clark Masters.
Aldershot regressed, became disjointed and stilted, as Bury dominated midfield with aggression and endeavour, yet it was the home side who broke the deadlock. Referee Linington played advantage as Donnelly lay in a crumpled heap, allowing Morgan to shake off Cresswell and pull the ball back for Parrett. With clever disguise, the Tottenham loanee switched the ball to his left and Soares scored with aplomb.
Within four minutes, the game was on its head. Lowe reacted first to a wayward deep cross and his sharp return from the byline found Dawson at the near post to drive the ball across Masters. Then a huge looping corner found Sodje towering at the far-post, unmarked as Winfield struggled to challenge him, and his header crashed in off the underside of the bar.
For all their lethargy, Aldershot perhaps should still have rescued parity, as Brown superbly tipped Winfield’s glancing header over the bar, but Bury held strong to extend the best away record in the Division.
This defeat had little to do with Waddock’s departure – his team weren’t much better in apparently cruising to victory over Morecambe – yet Dodd will now have ample chance to demonstrate his coaching ability ahead of a troublesome trip to Shrewsbury.