LEE Clark was delighted with the “attitude and application” of his Bury side as they climbed four points above the drop zone with victory against Coventry.

James Vaughan picked up where he left off by netting the opening goal on his return from injury – his 19th of the season.

Fellow forward Tom Pope then stroked in the second as the Shakers took a commanding 2-0 lead into the break.

Stuart Beavon halved the deficit midway through the second period but Clark’s men withstood heavy pressure late on to maintain his winning start as Bury boss.

“I think to have won another game is tremendous with the position we’re in,” Clark said. “We made harder work of it than we should have.

“We became a bit tense towards the end. We scored two terrific goals and had more chances as well. We played good football at times but just gave Coventry too many invites onto our goal.

“I’m delighted with the attitude and application of all the players and it was a tremendous win for us.

“We have got players that like to press and play on the front foot. We held out, the lads have shown they are resolute again.”

Almost 2,500 home fans turned out to witness Clark’s first game at Gigg Lane and they were in good voice from the first minute to last.

As Bury were forced to defend deeper the supporters began to chant louder – motivating their side to hang on for a vital three points, which did not go unnoticed to the manager.

“(It was) absolutely brilliant,” Clark said of his home debut. “The reception I got from the supporters was fantastic, I appreciate that, a big thank you to them for that.

“They got behind the team and when they saw the team was a little bit jaded and was getting a bit of pressure put on us they carried on supporting us.

“When you have got fans like that who give you everything and back the players you try and give them everything back in return.”

Bury shot out of the blocks and pinned Coventry in their own penalty area for the opening 15 minutes.

Paul Caddis, on his home debut, had a stinging volley saved by Lee Burge and Vaughan headed a warning shot straight down the keeper’s throat.

The pressure paid dividends in the 17th minute when Vaughan netted his ninth goal in seven games after jinking past two defenders and side-footing the ball into the bottom corner.,

Coventry had their rare breaks as Charles Vernam shot straight at Joe Murphy and Callum Reilly slashed a shot across goal from an acute angle.

But it was Bury who continued to look more dangerous and when 16-year-old Callum Styles played an inch-perfect pass through to Pope he coolly slotted in his first goal since December, four minutes before half time.

The Sky Blues made a double change at the break but it was Bury who carried the momentum in the second period.

Vaughan almost registered his first assist of the season but Pope was denied by a fine reaction save by Burge.

The visitors began to grow into the game as Reilly dragged a shot wide from the edge of the area after breaking into the box.

Clark sensed the shift in momentum and brought on super-sub George Miller who has netted four of his six goals this term from the bench, fellow forward Pope making way. But Coventry pulled a goal back in the 65th minute when Beavon powered a header home from Ryan Haynes’ cross.

Taylor Moore almost restored the Shakers’ two-goal lead instantly but Burge kept his point-blank header at bay.

Joe Murphy, who has kept three clean sheets in five games since signing on loan from Huddersfield, was forced into a couple of vital saves late on.

Kevin Foley tried his luck from distance but was denied by the shot stopper, as was Reilly from close range.

Even with four minutes of added time League One’s bottom club could not break down the resilient Shakers who made it 13 points out of a possible 15.

Bury (5-3-2): Murphy 8; Moore 7, C Burgess 7, Beadling 7, Barnett 7, Leigh 8; Styles 6 (Maher 89, 6), Caddis 7, Mellis 6, Pope 7 (Miller 58, 7), Vaughan 7 (Hope 74, 6).

Unused subs: Lainton, Pennant, Mayor, Lowe.

Coventry (4-4-2): Burge; Willis, Clarke, Rawson (Haynes 45), Turnbull; G Thomas (Kelly-Evans 45), Reilly, Foley, Vernam (Jones 82); K Thomas, Beavon.

Unused subs: Charles-Cook, Rose, Reid, Tudgay.

Referee: Scott Duncan (Northumberland)