VERDICT: Bury 2 Stevenage 1

Back-to-back victories moved the Shakers into second place in the table – two points behind the Brewers ahead of their visit to the JD Stadium this weekend.

David Flitcroft’s team followed up Saturday’s comfortable win at Carlisle with an exhilarating display on Tuesday night, coming from behind to beat a spirited Stevenage side.

A stunning performance from visiting keeper Sam Beasant – son of Wimbledon legend Dave Beasant – ensured Bury could never be fully sure of all three points until the final whistle.

But goals from Ryan Lowe and Craig Jones were enough to cancel out Adam Marriott’s opportunist opener.

And McNulty, who described his side’s first win of the campaign at Harlepool as like “setting the juggernaut in motion”, believes it is now moving up through the gears after going seven matches unbeaten.

“I have been in talented groups before and you do get excited by them,” he said.

“This is most certainly up there – it is just getting the players to truly believe that they can steamroller teams, and it is just starting to come now.” It looked as if the juggernaut could be about to hit a brick wall as Graham Westley’s aggressive side threatened to get under the skin of McNulty and his team-mates in the opening exchanges.

Marriott made the most of Pablo Mills’ uncharacteristic indecision to rob the centre-back on the right touchline and bear down on goal. The Stevenage striker stormed into the box unimpeded before firing past Rob Lainton at his near post to put the visitors ahead after only 10 minutes.

But they only had three minutes to savour their lead, as Lowe, fresh from scoring his 50th league goal for Bury at the weekend, made it 51 after finding the top corner with a blistering 25-yard free kick.

Beasant then came to the fore with a series of top drawer saves that his dad would have been proud of.

The 26-year-old palmed away a Tom Soares strike before tipping behind a Nathan Cameron header.

Cameron had to be on his toes at the other end to block a Tom Conlon effort after a good break from Chris Beardsley.

But it was Beasant again who had the final word of the half, standing up well to deny Lowe after the goalscorer latched on to a superb through ball from Kelvin Etuhu.

There was nothing the young keeper could do to stop the Bury winner, though, which came two minutes after the break.

Danny Rose skipped down the left flank and powered to the byline before picking out the run of Jones, who tapped in from six yards.

Bury controlled the match from there on in but could not find the killer blow to beat Beasant, with the stopper pulling off an instinctive save to tip over a Mills volley from six yards out.

Stevenage remained within touching distance, but failed to really trouble a rock-solid Bury defence.

And their plight was not helped by substitute Ryan Johnson, who was sent off in stoppage time, just 13 minutes after coming on, after picking up two quick bookings for reckless challenges.

Nicky Adams, who bore the brunt of those tackles, said after the game that Johnson had threatened to “break him”, presumably in a last-ditch effort to knock Bury off their stride.

But as McNulty attested, it will take more than a few clattering challenges to ruffle their feathers.

“I believe the last couple of teams that have come here have thought we were a nice passing team – with the emphasis on nice,” he said.

“But we have the belief in our changing room that we can fight teams as well.

“We can battle with teams, we can out-pass teams. I think we can do a bit of everything.

“It is important you have that ruthless side – that strength. You can’t just be nice and pretty because you will get rolled over. But tonight we had a strong spine and we stood up and fought.

“Our defensive unit looks quite fearsome – there is a lot of power and experience.

“Both ends of the field are just as important as each other and they are both starting to flourish.”

BURY: Lainton 8; Cameron 8, Mills 7, McNulty 7; Jones 8, Etuhu 7, Adams 7, Soares 7, Mayor 7 (Hussey 6 80); Lowe 8 (Nardiello 84), Rose 8 (Holmes 72). Not used: Jalal, Tutte, Sedgwick, Platt.

STEVENAGE: Beasant, Richens (Ashton 28), Charles, Wells, Dembele; Henry; Whelpdale, Lee, Conlon (Johnson 80); Beardsley (Pett 62), Marriott. Not used: Calcutt, Day, Lancaster, Deacon.

Goals: Bury 2 (Lowe 13, Jones 47) Stevenage 1 (Marriott 10).

Red card: Stevenage - Johnson 90+3.

Yellow cards: Bury – Mayor 38. Stevenage – Johnson 89 & 90+3.

Referee: Richard Clark.

Attendance: 2,638 (visiting 86).

Star man: Rob Lainton – The ex-Bolton Wanderers stopper has quietly gone about his business since making the number one jersey his own after coming on as a substitute in the Capital One Cup defeat at his former club. His form has kept out summer signing Shwan Jalal on merit, as the young man continues to grow into the role. And while he could probably have done better with the Stevenage opener, the way he commanded his box in the closing stages made up for it. A handful of key catches and punches – previously the weakest side of his game – really took the pressure off.