HALLAM Hope scored a brace as Bury continued their impressive form with a 2-1 victory away to Swindon.

Hope netted twice in the first half to give the Shakers a well deserved 2-0 lead going into the break, but Jon Obika set up a tight finale when he pulled one back midway through the second period.

The Shakers showed their resilience late on as they weathered the storm to wrap up a fourth consecutive win.

David Flitcroft made two changes from the side that beat Shrewbury last weekend. The suspended James Vaughan was replaced by Hope, while Craig Jones returned from injury in place of Leon Barnett.

The Shakers started as they left off against the Shrews with Danny Mayor in sparkling form. The winger almost grabbed his third goal in two games on the sixth minute when he beat three men, played a one-two with Tom Pope and forced a brilliant save out of Will Henry.

Former Bury loanee Nathan Delfouneso had Swindon's first effort when he shot straight at Ben Williams.

Bury took the lead inside 13 minutes when Zeli Ismail stood up a wonderful cross for Pope who was denied by Henry, but Hope was on hand to sweep the ball home.

Controversy struck 10 minutes later when Obika prodded Sean Murray's shot past Williams to equalise, but the Shakers were given a let off when the assistant referee raised his flag late for offside.

Referee Charles Breakspear began to lose control of the game midway through the first period and issued six yellow cards in the space of 15 minutes.

One was given to Yaser Kasim who was lucky not to see red for a bad tackle on Danny Mayor.

The game grew tighter as half time approached, but a moment of individual brilliance from Hope doubled Bury's lead.

The striker won the the ball back on the halfway line, breezed past the last defender before coolly slotting past Henry to send the Shakers into the break 2-0 up.

Bury were forced to defend deeper in the second half and Swindon pulled one back on the 64th minute through Obika who prodded Murray's cross in from close range.

The forward should have had his second of the game three minutes later after he was set up on the six-yard box but he fired wide.

Flitcroft introduced Andrew Tutte and Tom Walker from the substitutes bench to sure up the midfield who were being overrun late on.

And the tactical gamble paid dividends as the Shakers held on for the three points that lifts them up to third in the League One table.