RYAN Lowe is confident Bury can give themselves a shot at League One survival after an excellent victory on Tuesday night.

George Miller capped a fine start by the Shakers by heading them into a 17th-minute lead after Harry Bunn’s penalty had been saved.

AFC Wimbledon equalised against the run of play through a Phil Edwards own goal on 28 minutes but Bunn put Bury back in front two minutes before half time.

That proved enough to make it seven points from nine for the Shakers and although they are remain bottom of the table, they are now nine points from safety.

“In the first half we looked like a top team,” said Lowe.

“We achieved virtually everything we set out to do.

“We attacked from the start, penned them in and created lots of chances.

“To concede the own goal was a bit of a blow but the lads showed commitment and desire to go on to win the game.

“We didn’t dwell on the own goal, we kept going.

“They put us under some pressure in the second half and we huffed and puffed at times but we hung in there.”

Lowe made four changes to the side which drew against Blackpool, with Nathan Cameron and Stephen Dawson unable to start two games in four days. James Hanson and Chris Maguire dropped to the bench, with Bunn, Miller, Adam Thompson and Josh Laurent coming in.

The visitors started with a three-man defence, with ex-Shaker Tom Soares playing as a holding midfielder, and Bury threatened to run riot, particularly out wide, in a first half that was their best of the season.

Dons keeper George Long had to save a Bunn shot inside 30 seconds and Miller’s header tested Long before the 20-year-old striker was inches away from a Zeli Ismail cross.

More good work from Ismail resulted in Neil Danns firing over from just inside the box and Mayor’s shot being blocked.

But the pressure finally paid off as Jon Meades tripped Mayor in the box, and although Long saved Bunn’s tame spot-kick low to his right, the ball bounced up for Miller to head home his third goal in three games after returning on loan from Middlesbrough.

Ismail and Bunn went close to doubling Bury’s lead yet they almost found themselves behind just after the half-hour mark.

Firstly, a corner was cleared as far as Liam Trotter, who volleyed the ball back towards goal from 20 yards.

His shot seemed to be drifting wide but Edwards tried to hack it clear, only to slice it into his own net.

Andy Barcham then picked out Joe Pigott in the left side of the Bury box and the Shakers breathed a sigh of relief as he lifted the ball just over the bar.

But Lowe’s men regrouped and Miller held off his man to lay off for Bunn, who forced a close-range shot past Long for his third goal in five games.

Moments later the home fans thought Mayor had made it 3-1 but Long had turned his shot into the side-netting.

After the break, Mayor and Bunn tested Long again before the visitors began to put Bury under some pressure.

A glancing header by Dons substitute Harry Forrester came back off Connor Ripley’s far post before the Bury keeper tipped over a Meades header to secure victory.

Lowe added: “You can see the togetherness out there now and the belief that they can win games.

“We’re nowhere near done, we’ve got to get more points on the board.

“But a happy camp is always a good camp and that’s what we’ve generated around the place.

“But when it comes to work, we work hard and do the right things.

“We’ve installed some belief and we’ll keep believing we can get out of this mess.

“If we keep performing like that then we can do it.”