TOM Pope scored a dramatic late winner against Chesterfield to move Bury up to second in League One.

Zeli Ismail put the Shakers ahead but Kristian Dennis equalised on the stroke of half time.

Ismail continued to run riot down the right flank but it was Pope who stole the headlines with a last-minute header which wrapped up Bury's fifth win in a row.

David Flitcroft made one change to the side that defeated Swindon last weekend. James Vaughan returned to the starting line up after serving a one-match suspension, but Danny Mayor missed out with an ankle injury.

Bury made a lightning start to the game and carved the Chesterfield defence open at will. Ismail was the main architect behind every move as he terrorised his opposing full-back and had shot deflected behind for a corner inside 30 seconds.

The tricky winger was through on goal again two minutes later following a superb pass from Jacob Mellis, but after lifting the ball over the goalkeeper it trickled agonisingly wide.

Dennis should have put the visitors ahead midway through the first period but he missed the ball when Jay O'Shea squared it to him six yards out.

Ryan Fulton had to be on his toes to keep out Ismail's snap shot as the game lowered in tempo.

Former Bolton Wanderers striker Conor Wilkinson smashed a 20-yard free kick against the post for Chesterfield five minutes before the break, but that miss gave Bury the wake-up call they needed.

The Shakers broke straight down to the other side of the pitch and the powerful Ismail broke away from three defenders before blasting a shot into the bottom corner to give the hosts the lead.

But on the stroke of half time Dennis found himself unmarked a couple of yards out and he duly tapped in the equaliser.

The second half proved a tight affair with few chances for either side.

Chesterfield came the closest through Thomas Anderson, who headed a corner over before O'Shea's 20-yard shot was deflected on to the roof of the net.

Midfielder Neil Danns made his first Bury appearance in over a month as he came off the bench on the hour mark, and he almost made an instant impact with a 25-yard shot but Fulton was equal to it.

The game seemed to be petering out towards a draw but substitute Tom Walker swung a magnificent cross into the box one minute from time which Pope headed home to seal the three points.