BURY’S promotion bandwagon rolled on at York where Tom Soares’ early strike proved enough to earn a fourth straight win on the road.

The regulation victory – a sixth in the last seven matches – moved the Shakers up to fourth in the League Two table and kept them just four points adrift of the automatic promotion places.

David Flitcroft’s men capitalised on a blistering start to go ahead inside the opening 10 minutes.

Soares stormed into the box with a late run to sidefoot home Joe Riley’s low cross from 10 yards.

The move was started by a surging drive from holding midfielder Kelvin Etuhu, who broke through the York lines before putting Riley in down the right.

Runs from deep were an early feature of Bury’s play, with the attacking midfield trio of Soares, Danny Mayor and Nicky Adams often bursting past lone front man Tom Eaves.

York, who are struggling to stave off relegation after last season pipping Bury to the play-offs, looked unable to cope with their midfield movement.

Both Bury full-backs provided an extra headache, with Chris Hussey charging to the byline on the left in the 19th minute before flashing a pass across goal that was begging to be put away.

But Flitcroft’s side slowly took their foot off the gas and handed York a way back into the game.

Shaq Coulthirst had a thunderous shot blocked by his own man before Emile Sinclair sidefooted a Michael Coulson corner just wide.

Shakers skipper Nathan Cameron added to the growing sense of frustration by kicking away the ball to pick up a senseless booking, his 10th of the season that will see him miss the next two matches.

Adams should have lifted the growing pressure though, blasting over a chance in first-half stoppage time.

The visitors regained the upper hand after the break, however, with Mayor rifling a volley on the turn just wide from the edge of the box.

But York were not silenced for long, with Coulthirst heading over a corner and Sinclair sending a shot across goal just wide, with Pope beaten on both occasions.

The Bury stopper, who enjoyed a successful loan spell with the Minstermen last season, got down well to smother a Bradley Halliday strike from outside the box.

Despite spending much of the second half on the back foot, the visitors always looked to be playing within themselves, capable of stepping it up if needed.

And as the home side’s intensity dropped, the Shakers started to come back out of their shell, with Riley coming close to adding a second goal after shooting wide following a mazy dribble to the edge of the box.

Bury had to survive a late scare, when Jake Hyde took the ball around Pope only to roll the ball just wide of the near post from a tight angle.

They held out though to secure a fifth clean sheet in their last seven matches.