BURY men's first team continued their positive start to 2015 by winning a nine-goal thriller against Didsbury on Saturday.

The weakened visitors, missing Simon Major, Ian Hillary and Rob Bradburn from last week’s victory over Lytham, started well applying pressure to the Didsbury backline and forcing mistakes.

They took the lead through debutant Tom Parfett with the forward finishing off a slick passing move involving Tariq Sheikh and James Oakes, with a neat lifted finish past the onrushing keeper.

Following some good work down the right wing, Didsbury pulled level when the ball was delivered into the Bury circle and unfortunate touch from captain Tariq Sheikh took the ball beyond his own goalkeeper.

Bury regained the lead immediately when Jack Dixon found James Oakes just inside the circle. The in-form striker turned his defender and lashed a vicious shot past the stranded keeper.

Oakes was again in the thick of the action just before half time. This time the keeper managed to block his stinging drive, but youngster Siraj Raza showed exceptional awareness to pounce on the rebound and force the ball home.

The second half started badly for Bury as Didsbury quickly pulled a goal back through a deflected short corner, before drawing level with a pin-point finish from yet another short corner.

However, Bury responded immediately with Oakes producing a sublime deflection to wrong foot the keeper and glance home another powerful ball from man-of-the-match Dixon.

Some more persistent play from the home side led to another dangerous ball from the right wing, which was converted at the second attempt to bring the scores level once again.

Bury claimed the points with just five minutes remaining. A short corner was blocked on the line by a Didsbury defender's body and James Larmett coolly stepped up to convert the penalty stroke to claim his second goal in two games and give the visitors all three points.