RYAN Lowe praised his Bury players for not taking the game lightly after winning 1-0 at National League North side Chester FC on Saturday.

New signing Gold Omotayo came off the bench to score early in the second half and give the Shakers their first pre-season win after playing top-flight sides in their previous four friendlies.

“We should have been four up at half-time,” said Lowe. “We're still a bit off but it's nice for the lads to get more minutes in.

“I had to keep their mindset right because, with all due respect, Chester are a couple of leagues lower than us.

“When we're playing Premier League teams the lads raise their game and I had to make sure they did that.

“You've got to show respect and do the right things, and I thought they did that at times.

“Late on we were a bit sloppy with the ball but it's all about getting that fitness and sharpness into their legs, and creating more chances, which we did.”

Danny Mayor enjoyed the game's first opportunity, hitting a shot straight at Chester keeper Grant Shenton, before Chris Dagnall was unable to steer Ryan Cooney's cross goalwards.

Moments later Callum Styles hit a deep corner towards defender Will Aimson, who brought the ball down before crossing towards the back post and off the top of the bar.

Jordan Archer then fired wide from a Mayor cross and Bury's new striker from Chester went close again moments later after Styles played him in.

Archer tried to poke the ball past Shenton but defender Simon Grand managed to get back to clear off the line.

The Shakers almost broke the deadlock on 40 minutes as Dagnall latched onto a through-ball and went wide of Shenton, only to see his shot from a tight angle hit the post.

But Chester finished the half strongly and Joe Murphy had to be alert to turn over a Dan Mooney shot.

Omotayo replaced Archer at the break and just a minute into the second half he tried to lob Shenton, who was off his line, but the Swiss striker's effort went over the bar.

Omotayo made no mistake just two minutes later, though, turning in Cooney's cross to give Bury the lead.

Neil Danns then unleashed a long-range strike that forced Shenton to turn the ball wide and Chester had a goal disallowed for offside after Steve Howson headed a corner back across for Grand to convert.

Bury centre-halves Saul Shotton and Adam Thompson both had chances to double the lead from late corners.

But one goal was enough for the Shakers to claim victory after Matty Hughes volleyed straight at Mathew Hudson at the death.

Bury: Murphy (Hudson 46), Thompson, O'Connell (Nyaupembe 58), Aimson (Shotton 46), Cooney (Whelan 77), Danns (Williams 64), Styles (Dawson 28 (Dai 77)), Mayor (Adams 46), Stokes (McFadzean 46), Archer (Omotayo 46), Dagnall (Sang 66). Attendance: 746.

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THREE nights earlier, on Wednesday, Bury scored their first goal of pre-season as they claimed a 1-1 draw at home to Premier League side Everton.

Unsurprisingly, the Merseysiders had the better of the game, with Leighton Baines having an early shot blocked by Adam Thompson before Cenk Tosun fired over.

Yet the Shakers broke the deadlock on 43 minutes, after a Nicky Adams free kick was cleared by Phil Jagielka.

Stephen Dawson swung the ball back in and it fell kindly for Neil Danns, who beat Maarten Stekelenburg with a deft touch with the outside of his boot into the bottom corner.

Everton made nine changes at the break and half-time substitute Oumar Niasse went on to strike the same post three times in 12 minutes.

Firstly he fired against the woodwork from Sandro's right-wing cross before blazing over after exchanging passes with Jonjoe Kenny.

Niasse fired against the post twice more before bringing down Matty Pennington's long ball on 63 minutes, holding off Saul Shotton and beating Joe Murphy at the second attempt.

Late substitute Cuco Martina also headed against a Bury post before the Shakers' sub keeper Mathew Hudson made a fine save to deny Niasse at the death.

Bury: Murphy (Hudson 71), Thompson (Allardyce 81), O'Connell (Shotton 57), Aimson (Williams 71), Miller (Cooney 64), Danns (Styles 57), Dawson (Dolan 81), Adams (Mayor 57), McFadzean (Stokes 78), Omotayo (Archer 57), Dagnall (Dai 71). Attendance: 2,133 (1,433 away).