CHRIS Lucketti's spell as Bury manager began with a goalless draw at Northampton to edge the Shakers off the foot of League One.

With both sides in the bottom four, it was an even, hard-fought game at the Sixfields, with Rohan Ince spurning a great chance early in the second half.

Bury went closest to breaking the deadlock 10 minutes from time as home keeper Matt Ingram scrambled Michael Smith's header off the line.

But a point was enough to see the Shakers go above Plymouth, to second-bottom on goal difference.

Lucketti rewarded the side which beat leaders Shrewsbury in Ryan Lowe's final game as caretaker boss in midweek.

His only change saw Callum Reilly replace the injured Harry Bunn, and although an early Matt Crooks shot tested Bury keeper Leo Fasan, Michael Smith then fired over from Mihai Dobre's through-ball.

Home keeper Matt Ingram fumbled a Dobre shot behind while Fasan stayed alert to make the save as Marc Richards glanced Brendan Moloney's inswinging cross goalwards.

The Cobblers began to get on top after the half-hour mark, with Crooks blazing over after Regan Poole's shot was blocked.

Matt Grimes' 30-yard free-kick was then tipped over by Fasan, with ex-Bury centre-half Leon Barnett heading wide from the corner.

Crooks beat right-back Phil Edwards after the interval and his low cross was cleared as far as Grimes, whose goalbound effort was blocked by Eoghan O'Connell.

But the Shakers missed the best chance yet on 52 minutes. Jay O'Shea's flick played in Ince and although his shot was tipped over, the Bury midfielder should have done better.

The game began to open up as Ingram denied Ince again from another Bury break, although the hosts went close as Chris Long fired just wide from 25 yards.

An unmarked Crooks sidefooted wide and Dobre fired over from a tight angle before Bury looked to have been gifted a late winner. Northampton defender Ash Taylor misjudged a header back to Ingram and although Smith headed over the stranded keeper, he scrambled back to claw it off the line.