LIKE all good things, Bury's unbeaten run away from home finally came to an end after 17 matches.

Two goals conceded from Tony McMahon corners either side of half time provided a mountain that proved too big for the resilient Shakers to climb.

Bradford centre-back Rory McArdle headed in the first in stoppage time before the break and unfortunate Bury midfielder Reece Brown bundled the second into his own net six minutes into the second half.

And while substitute Danny Rose pulled one back with a minute to play, it was too little too late.

Bury’s night started badly when left-back Chris Hussey was declared unfit to return from a one-match suspension due to a calf strain.

Not that many of their travelling fans were there to see him missing from the line-up as they struggled to make it over the Pennines following an accident on the M62.

But they didn’t miss much in an opening 20 minutes that was punctuated by more fouls than completed passes before Hussey’s replacement, Danny Pugh, was forced to limp off.

Hallam Hope was thrown on, midfielder Craig Jones dropped back to full-back and Joe Riley was switched to the left side of the defence, but despite the upheaval Bury had the best chances of a stop-start first half.

Danny Mayor’s curling shot was tipped over by Bradford goalkeeper Ben Williams on 22 minutes and Leon Clarke headed Riley’s corner just over five minutes before the break.

Then McArdle stepped up in the second minute of stoppage time to plant McMahon’s set-piece into the far corner.

The Shakers players surrounded referee Darren Bond, incensed the corner had been awarded in the first place after Bantams’ midfielder Kyel Reid looked to have handled the ball in the build up.

Bury came out for the second half eager to correct the injustice and Tom Soares wasted a fantastic opportunity to pull them level, dragging a shot across goal after being put in by Jacob Mellis.

But Brown’s own goal dented the fight-back.

It was tough on the midfielder, who was unsighted as McMahon’s set-piece was whipped across a busy penalty box and he was unable to correct his footing in time as the ball bounced off his knee and in at the back post.

David Flitcroft’s immediate response was to replace substitute Hope with striker Tom Pope, while Rose was sent on for Brown on 61 minutes as the Bury boss made his third substitute with 30 minutes to play.

That left the Shakers with three strikers on the pitch for the final half hour, but it was Bradford who continued to press and Lainton had to be on his toes to tip over McMahon’s thunderbolt from 30 yards.

Pope did his best to force a revival though, chesting down on the edge of the box and testing the Bradford stopper with a crisp volley.

Lainton and the offside flag kept Bury in it at the death as they reverted to three at the back and pushed forward in search of a route back into the game.

And after plenty of hustle and bustle, Rose finally scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time, turning sharply in the box to volley home a Pope flick on.

But there was not enough time to stage a grand finale and a run that started after a 1-0 defeat at Burton on January 31 finally came to an end.

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REACTION

Bury manager David Flitcroft: "It's got to come to an end some time. It was a fantastic run. It's been something we have been proud of and something we have tried to withstand and withold but we have given it up tonight due to quite a forceful play from Bradford.

"But it's one of them - it's gone now.

"As long as a player gives me everything then I have no qualms and the players certainly tried to do that tonight.

"We went three at the back, three strikers up front and bare in midfield and it was a game that swung massively either way.

"But once they got the second and they got a foothold in the game they are very good at doing what they do. 

"It was difficult to break down when they sat in.

"In both boxes we weren't good enough tonight and that's something we have got to look at and readdress the balance."

Flitcroft on injuries: "I'm a bit concerned about the David Pugh injury. It's an intercostal muscle. He was struggling breathing and really needed to come off.

"There is a concern over Pughy there but we have got him off the pitch and that gave us some problems.

"We didn't look settled or balanced like we usually do. I love having a left footer in the team down the left side.

"Chris Hussey wasn't available for me today, he has got a slight calf injury that we didn't feel it was worth risking.

"That was a big miss.

"And Lee Erwin has tonsilitis. He struggled last night and had problems sleeping so he didn't make the trip.

"So we were down in numbers but had more than enough to compete with Bradford."

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RATINGS

BURY (4-1-4-1): Lainton 7; Riley 7, Cameron 7, Clarke 8, Pugh 6; Brown 6; Jones 6, Soares 6, Mellis 7, Mayor 6; Clarke 6.

Subs: Hallam Hope 5 (for Pugh 20), Tom Pope 6 (for Hope 54), Danny Rose 7 (for Brown 61). Not used: Jack Ruddy, Chris Sedgwick, Scott Burgess, Khalid Mohammed.

BRADFORD CITY (4-4-2): Williams; Darby, McArdle, Burke, Meredith; McMahon, Evans, Knott, Reid; Davies, Cole. 

Subs: Hanson (for Davies 56), Marshall (for Reid 79), James (for Cole 88). Not used: B Jones, N Clarke, Liddle, Leigh.

Referee: Darren Bond.

Attendance: 17,575 (625 visitors).