Bury 1 Cheltenham Town 1 By Chris Hall: SHAKERS may need to re-introduce the half-time cuppa if they are to make a sustained push for promotion this season.

Pumping the players full of caffeine may not be the most advanced motivational technique but it could be the only way to keep them from falling asleep during crucial matches.

With a strong, if only small, squad at his disposal, Andy Preece has a side eminently capable of making a glorious return to Division Two.

But his plans have been sabotaged by lapses in concentration - the latest example allowing a poor Cheltenham escape from Gigg Lane with the gift of a point.

Preece's fourth goal, and second penalty of the new campaign gave Shakers a stranglehold of a game they dominated.

But, with only 20 minutes left, Danny Swailes and Greg Strong took their eye off Bob Taylor, who latched on to a hopeful clearance in acres of space.

And, after Glyn Garner pushed the former Bolton striker too wide to get a reasonable strike on goal, the defence failed to pick up the supporting Kayode Odejayi, who took the age he was given to pick his spot and slide the ball into bottom corner.

"Whether Bob Taylor was offside or not, we have to defend better than that," said Preece.

"Glyn did really well to hold him up but we have to show more desire than that to win the ball back. That should have been another win and we have to start killing games off when we get into good positions like that."

Bury form guide: Garner 8, Unsworth 6, Woodthorpe 7, Swailes 6, Strong 6, Thornley 7, O'Shaughnessy 8, Duxbury 7, Singh 6, Nugent 7, Preece 8. Subs: Seddon (for Nugent, 45mins) 6, Connell (for Singh, 66) 6, Porter (for O'Shaughnessy, 78) 6. Not used: Kennedy, O'Neil.

Referee: Nigel Miller (Co Durham). Attendance: 2, 753