A record crowd for Adie Moran Park, of 1,000 was treated to three stunning goals and a cracking Easter Monday derby that saw Bury take the honours as both team’s pursuit of promotion from the NW Counties Premier Division continued.

It was Heys who struck first through Kieron Molloy in the fourth minute before the visitors responded in the 38th minute through Connor Comber - who had only just come on as a substitute - and he was to go on provide the winner for his side in a frantic second half.

After rain had fallen in the couple of hours before kick-off it was a wet looking pitch that greeted the teams, and the early exchanges were cagey. However, in the fourth minute the game exploded into life as Heys took the lead.

As the home side quickly turned defence into attack, a great ball in behind the Bury defence, by Dylan Fitzgerald, released Molloy who went through to fire a glorious diagonal shot into the far top corner.

Heys, who beat Colne 1-0 on Saturday thanks to a goal from Dylan Fitzgerald, continued to enjoy the better of things. Although Bury were enjoying their fair of possession, Heys play carried extra zip and threat and they tested Harry Wright, in the Bury goal, again in the 12th minute as they broke forward through Gabriel Mooney-Munoz and Matt Davies who cross was met first time by Brad Sullivan whose shot from twelve yards was held low by the keeper.

Molloy was causing real problems down the left for Heys and in the second minute he whipped in a cross that fizzed across the six-yard box, but a slight deflection took it away from a clutch of Heys players waiting to pounce.

It was not until the half hour that Bury created a chance as a cross into the box found Andrew Scarisbrick in space and his header looked set for the top corner until Heys stopper Russell Saunders leapt spectacularly to tip the ball round the post. This signalled a better spell for the visitors who in the 37th minute were then forced into what was to prove a defining substitution as the injured Miles Storey was replaced by Comber, who within a minute was to make his mark. As a free kick broke on the edge of the area the ball fell to the substitute, who hit a perfectly struck volley into the top corner to level matters.

It was to stay that way until the break but on the restart, it was Heys who again opened the livelier. Mooney- Munoz and Sullivan both tested Wright with shots. As the pace quickened Bury themselves began to pose a threat and, on the hour, they took the lead with another super strike. As Heys were caught on the break, Comber broke down the middle before firing a superb shot from just outside the box to find the top corner.

In response Heys brought on Connor Martin and Rio Wilson-Heyes to freshen their attacking options and they launched a furious spell of attacking football on their opponents. Firstly, from a corner, Aaron Chalmers won a header and as the ball fell to Martin, he tried an overhead kick that went just over the bar.

In the 65th minute, the hosts went even closer as following a scramble in the box, Sam Olawumi’s low shot was cleared off the line. Three minutes later Chalmers looked like he had levelled with a header from a corner, but Wright got up superbly to tip the ball onto the bar before the danger was scrambled clear.

In a fevered atmosphere, Heys commitment to attack almost proved their undoing in the 68th minute as a lightning break saw Charlie Doyle go clear for Bury but Saunders pulled off a superb save to keep his side in the game.

Heys were still not done though, and Davies broke clear in the 71st minute only to be denied by a brave save by Wright. Then six minutes later another goalmouth scramble saw Martin have two shots blocked amidst an appeal for a penalty for handball by the home players and crowd behind the goal.

With the game in the balance, Bury looked set to ensure victory in the 81st minute when Max Harrop cut into the box but his shot, to the relief of the home fans, drifted just wide of the post.

It meant there was still one last chance for Heys and two minutes from time the ball dropped to Martin in the box, who fierce shot, took a deflection and just cleared the crossbar.

It was prove the final action of a cracking contest. Heys will feel unlucky, not to have got anything from the game and whilst the defeat saw them drop a place, to seventh, they still remain firmly in the hunt for a play off place with a home game to come against fourth placed Chadderton on Thursday (7.45pm) and a trip to Irlam on Saturday (3pm) to come.

TEAM: Rusell Saunders, Jacob Ngoy, Jack McConnell, Sam Olawumi, Kyle Jacobs, Aaron Chalmers (Capt.), Mooney-Munoz, Brad Sullivan, Matt Davies, Dylan Fitzgerald Subs: Nathan Emery (for Sullivan 72 mins), Rio Wilson-Heyes (for Molloy 61 mins), Connor Brotherton, Danny White, Connor Martin (for Fitzgerald 61 mins)