SHAKERS 2, STOCKPORT 3: Alan Knill had a taste of the hard work he has in store for him at Gigg Lane as second-half defensive errors cost Bury dear once again.
Level at the break, the Shakers looked a good bet to give their new manager a first victory when Glynn Hurst hit his second goal in four days after the restart.
But two goals - both a result of sloppy defending - allowed play-off chasing County to regain a lead they never relinquished.
Knill took some positives from the game, but bemoaned his side's second-half performance.
"I'd take the first half, that was a good performance, but it is about winning at all costs. We threw it away at 2-1," he said.
"We have to defend better than that - all over the pitch. We need to rediscover how to win games."
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Knill couldn't have had a worse start, as barely six minutes into the game, former Atherton Collieries striker Anthony Pilkington picked the ball up 25 yards out before smashing the ball past a helpless Jim Provett.
But the Shakers hit back six minutes later when Jack Dorney played the ball low into Andy Bishop, and Gigg Lane's most lethal finisher needed no invitation to equalise.
Glynn Hurst celebrates after scoring two goals in four days
The game continued at frenetic pace and Bishop could have had a second before the break when he forced an excellent low save from Conrad Logan.
Stockport finshed the half strongly, and only the quick reactions of Provett prevented Jamie Smith from putting the visitors back in front.
But Bury seized the advantage in the second period as Bishop combined with Glynn Hurst, whose close-range effort looped up over Logan from a defender's boot.
The Shakers' lead, however, lasted less than three minutes. A half-cleared corner landed within striking range of Jason Taylor, and the former Oldham man obliged by sending the ball low into the bottom corner.
After Saturday's 5-1 mauling by MK Dons, the Shakers should have got most of the comedy defending out of their system. Evidently, they hadn't.
County threw a cross into the area and, after a frantic scramble, Paul Scott ended on his hands and knees with keeper Provett trying desperately to grab the ball. Instead, Pilkington rolled the ball into the net from a tight angle.
From there, Stockport could have had a hatful. Provett made a hat-trick of saves from substitute Adam Proudlock - but, at the other end, there was to be no fairytale ending for the new Shakers boss. As they say, the works starts here.
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