RYAN Lowe’s boys barely stuttered as they swept aside Cheltenham 4-1 to extend their unbeaten run to six matches.

Nicky Maynard smashed in two goals to secure the win and improve Bury’s chances of promotion back to League One.

The visitors cancelled out Chris Stokes’s opening goal through Chris Clements but Jay O’Shea set up Maynard to put Bury ahead once more before the break.

Byron Moore’s second-half goal secured the three points, while O’Shea and Maynard came together for the second time in the match to make it 4-1 to Bury.

Bury entered the game on the back of a five-game unbeaten streak and within touching distance of the play-off spots.

They started the game 13 league positions above their guests and controlled the game’s opening quarter so tightly it was only a matter of time before they opened the scoring.

Stokes scored his first Bury goal after tapping in a corner.

Cheltenham equalised against the run of play thanks to an opportunistic shot by Clements.

This energised the visitors and Bury keeper Joe Murphy got his first touch of the ball after Ryan Broom booted former Bury star Chris Hussey’s corner kick towards the goal.

Cheltenham travelled up to Bury unbeaten in their last seven, but Clements’ goal proved the only thing for the 75 fans who came with them to cheer about.

O’Shea set up Maynard to give Bury a new lead before the break.

Both sides had chances early in the second half but Bury’s best attempts, by Will Aimson and Danny Mayor, were both wide.

Moore secured the three points for Bury when he skipped past the Cheltenham defence and slid the ball into the far corner to kill off Cheltenham’s challenge and bring the game back to life.

Maynard followed up with a second goal of his own eight minutes later to wrap up Bury’s win and earn himself the man-of-the-match title.

The Shakers remained calm and in control throughout at a wet and wintery Gigg Lane as their dominant display offered little opportunity for Cheltenham.

The visitors’ defeat now all but certain, the game drifted towards full time, with the Bury fans delivering a warm applause to the side that showed such dominance.

Tuesday’s win against one of the weakest teams in the table moved them into fifth place and will give them confidence going into tough December fixtures against Exeter, Tranmere Rovers and Mansfield Town.

Bury (3-5-2): Murphy 7; Aimson 6 (O’Connell 60, 6), Thompson 7, Stokes 8; N Adams 8 (Miller 73, 7), O’Shea 8, Danns 6, Mayor 7, McFadzean 7; Moore 7 (Dagnall 82, 6), Maynard 8.

Subs not used: Hudson, Styles, Telford, J Adams

Cheltenham Town (3-5-2): Flinders; Forster, Tozer, Boyle (Field 67); Broom, Atangana, Thomas, Clements, Hussey; Barnett (Jones 82), Varney (Addai 58)

Subs not used: Lovett, Mullins, McAlinden, Alcock.