BURY turned on the style and scored three goals in eight second-half minutes to end a 10-game winless run at home to Oxford United.

The Shakers moved out of the bottom four with a convincing win that could easily have been by a wider margin.

Chris Maguire, playing against his former side, was in irresistible form and opened the scoring from the penalty spot.

Michael Smith bundled in a quickfire second and Jermaine Beckford added a third with his sixth goal of the season.

Lee Clark made two changes from the side that drew with Charlton at the weekend.

Nathan Cameron missed out with a hamstring injury picked up at the Valley, so Burnley loanee Alex Whitmore came in as his replacement.

Goalkeeper Leo Fasan started in place of the injured Joe Murphy, who has been ruled out for a couple of weeks.

The Shakers made a bright start and could have taken an early lead when Beckford cut the ball back to strike partner Smith, but he dragged his effort wide.

Beckford had a good chance to score himself soon after but Simon Eastwood kept his shot out.

Oxford responded with a couple of efforts themselves – James Henry blasting over from the edge of the box before another former Wanderers winger, Rob Hall, brought a fine save out of Fasan.

The two sides continued to trade blow-for-blow and Smith’s optimistic 25-yard shot hit the bar.

Gino van Kessel tested Fasan soon after, and the ex-Celtic shot-stopper had to be on his toes to push Alex Mowatt’s curling effort wide too.

Bury finished the first half the strongest with Greg Leigh the architect. The left wing-back put a cross on a plate for Smith but he could not keep his header down.

The 22-year-old then went one better by beating two defenders and playing Beckford through on goal, but he scuffed his shot.

It took 20 minutes of the second half for Bury to take the lead. After Beckford was brought down in the box Maguire stepped up to send Eastwood the wrong way from the spot.

Smith bundled in the second from close range following Beckford’s cut-back.

Oxford boss Pep Clotet made a triple change, but the Shakers struck again two minutes later.

Chris Humphrey’s stunning cross from the right found his former Preston team-mate Beckford who powered a header into the bottom corner.

Clark then withdrew his star striker, probably with Saturday’s home match with MK Dons in mind, and he went off to a standing ovation as the three points were already in the bag.