OLD master Mark Carter has already repayed his twilight year contract - with probably the scrappiest goal he has ever scored!

If the 36-year-old doesn't do another tap all season he justified his 12-month Indian Summer deal when he bundled in a deserved winner 11 minutes from time to complete the sweetest of revenge missions against the side which beat them in the Wembley play-off final 12 months earlier.

Not even the stand-in skipper himself will know which part of his body he scrambled the ball in off home keeper Billy Mercer after the outstanding Ronnie Jepson had flicked on a Nick Daws long throw for the kind of goal Chesterfield have made their own trademark.

But what's important are the three points it put on the board - and the promotion ring of confidence it put around his side.

"Perhaps now they will start to believe they are good enough to play in this division," suggested manager Stan Ternent.

"This is a tough place to get a result and while I was a little disappointed with our closing down in the first half when we invited pressure, we got it right and in the end shaded it."

In eight days Bury have gone from promotion no hopers to dark horses. Much more of this and they will be serious contenders.

"Coming back from a goal behind in all three games speaks for itself," added Ternent. "My players just never know when they are beaten."

Again they had to survive an opening spell of defensive jitters when they were fortunate to only concede Nicky Laws' 14th minute penalty after Paul Butler had dragged down the awkward Andy Morris in the second piece of slack defending.

The first, four minutes earlier, allowed Paul Holland a free header which Dean Kiely bundled out before saving the follow-up shot at point blank range.

It took a magnificent sliding tackle by Michael Jackson to deny Tony Lormor in front of an open goal in a 20th minute chance which proved to be the last clearcut opportunity allowed by Bury's increasingly dominant defence.

All the serious action came at the other end from that point, although they needed a huge slice of luck to help get them back on level terms - Dean West admitted his 22nd minute angled drive into the far corner was never intended to be a shot.

"I just meant to put it into the box," he reflected honestly. "I aimed for the far post and it took a slight deflection, although it was going in anyway."

Echoing his side's new found confidence, West added: "Chesterfield finished one point off the play-offs last year - in fact all the teams we have played so far were successful last season. If we can come and win at a difficult place like this there is no reason why we cannot be right up there."

Bury repeatedly threatened to get the upper hand long before Carter struck. Butler's ferocious volley flashing narrowly wide and Mercer forced to tip a speculative Ian Hughes 30-yarder over the bar as the Shakers finished the first half the stronger.

Jepson again looked worth every penny of his £40,000 as he ran the show up front and make crucial contributions in the other two departments while David Johnson and - until the last half hour - Carter had strangely quiet days.

Second half substitute Tony Rigby was unlucky with a close range rocket which cannoned into Mark Williams and then when he burst through only to be denied first by Mercer then by Law.

Kiely 7, West 7, Armstrong 7, Butler 7, Hughes 7, Jackson 7, Daws 7, Johnrose 6, Johnson 6, Carter 6, Jepson 8. Subs: Rigby 7 (for Armstrong 58 mins), Matthews and Stant. Att: 3,763.

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