MANAGER David Flitcroft said Danny Nardiello “did what he does best” as the former Manchester United striker capped off a great week for Bury with his 100th career goal and 25th for the club.

The Shakers went into the key promotion battle at play-off hopefuls Plymouth on a high after clinching a deal to move into Manchester City’s former training base in Carrington.

Far from proving a distraction, the players responded with the perfect away performance, controlling the game for long periods before killing off their rivals with goals at key times.

Nardiello’s landmark effort proved decisive - the 32-year-old forward breaking the deadlock on 62 minutes with a calmly taken header from a pinpoint Nicky Adams cross, just as the home side were starting to get on top for the first time in the game.

And Danny Rose’s late breakaway goal, his second in three games, snuffed out any chance of a grandstand finish, sealing an important three points for Bury that moved them above their hosts into sixth place.

“His goal was typical Nards, running in between two defenders,” said Flitcroft.

“Nicky’s cross was absolutely inch perfect and Nards does what Nards does best. It was like slow motion when he has climbed for it and there was only one place it was going to go.”

The same players came close to breaking the deadlock as early as the fifth minute, when Adams’ through ball deflected into Nardiello’s path but the unmarked striker put it over from eight yards.

Adams also had a handful of shots on goal before the break, one of which forced Plymouth stopper Luke McCormick into a decent block, while on-loan defender Adam El-Abd headed a Chris Hussey corner narrowly wide late in the half.

Plymouth went toe to toe with Bury in terms of approach play, but lacked a cutting edge after losing top scorer Reuden Reid to a foot injury.

Bury keeper Nick Pope made three regulation saves to keep out long-range shots in the opening 45 minutes, but it was a different story after the break when he was twice beaten.

First the on-loan Charlton keeper was rescued by the woodwork when Curtis Nelson’s header cannoned back off the crossbar before Lewis Alessandra’s volley was rightly disallowed for offside.

Alessandra had a second effort ruled out in similar circumstances in stoppage time but by that time the Shakers were out of sight.

Nardiello’s header following a swift counter attack was a broadside that sank Argyle's chances and Bury were already coasting when Rose rampaged infield from the right to slide a deserved second past McCormick in the 90th minute.

Bury’s third straight win not only cemented their place in the play-off positions, it also saw them move to within five points of the automatic promotion places and left Flitcroft bursting with pride.

“Second half we saw the character of the team, we saw the steel of the team and we saw the resolve of the team,” he said.

“We penetrated them twice and kept a clean sheet and not many teams will do that down here.

“That’s 24 points now from 12 games - two points a game. We are in fantastic form – our away form has gone through the roof so we are in a good place and I am very proud to be manager after that performance.”

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: McCormick; Nelson, McHugh (Blizzard 77), Hartley; Talbot, Reid, O'Connor, Cox (Banton 75), Holmes-Dennis, Brunt (Mellor 75), Alessandra.

Not used: Bittner, Purrington, Norburn, Harvey.

BURY: Pope 7; Riley 7, Cameron 8, El-Abd 8, Hussey 7; Etuhu 6, Soares 6; Adams 8 (Jones 75), Tutte 7, Mayor 7; Nardiello 7 (Rose 7 67).

Not used: McNulty, Sedgwick, Lowe, O'Brien, Lainton.

Goals: Plymouth Argyle 0 Bury 2 (Nardiello 62, Rose 90).

Yellow cards: Plymouth Argyle – Alessandra 90+2. Bury – El-Abd 53, Rose 90+1. Referee: Fred Graham.

Attendance: 7,374 (221 visiting).

Star man: Nicky Adams – The Bolton-born midfielder was at the heart of everything Bury did at Home Park – good and bad. Time and again good passing moves broke down in the final third during a frustrating first half, with Adams invariably the culprit. But when he got his final pass right Danny Nardiello was handed two potential goals on a platter, one of which he took. Adams also carried Bury’s most likely goal threat in that opening half in what was a typically busy display.