TWO game-changing decisions turned the tide of Bury's clash with Championship leaders Hull City and ultimately ended the Shakers' brilliant FA Cup run at the fourth-round stage.

With the visitors leading 1-0, second-half substitute Ryan Lowe had a goal controversially disallowed for offside moments before Sone Aluko went down very easily in the penalty area under pressure from Reece Brown to win a spot kick.

Both calls went the way of the Yorkshire side, which swayed the tie and made a difficult task almost an impossible mission.

Tigers forward Chuba Akpom netted a hat-trick as the hosts struggled to cope with the clinical finishing of the on-loan Arsenal striker.

Craig Jones pulled a goal back four minutes from time but it proved to be only a consolation.

David Flitcroft made three changes from the goalless stalemate against Crewe in midweek.

Star striker Leon Clarke was ruled out with food poisoning and on-loan Blackburn midfielder John O'Sullivan was cup tied, while Peter Clarke dropped to the bench.

Skipper Nathan Cameron returned to the heart of the defence to partner Brown, while Danny Mayor recovered from a chest infection to start and Danny Rose made his first start in more than a month.

Hull showed their immense strength in depth, making 11 changes from the 1-0 victory over Fulham the previous week, but still naming nine players who had Premier League experience. However, Hull boss Steve Bruce did hand a debut to 16-year-old left-back Josh Tymon.

If Bury were expected to play second fiddle to the Championship title chasers they initially did not follow the script, forcing their game upon Hull, who were pinned inside their own box for the opening 10 minutes.

Winger Mayor beat three men with a dazzling run, played a one-two with Tom Pope and found Rose free inside the box but his effort was saved by the feet of Eldin Jakupovic.

The Shakers supporters out-roared the Tigers after selling out their ticket allocation, but they were dealt a bitter blow in the 11th minute when in-form midfielder Kelvin Etuhu was forced off with a hamstring injury and replaced by out-of-favour full-back Joe Riley.

And a minute later the visitors took the lead, completely against the run of play.

David Meyler was played through on goal and Ian Lawlor, who had not conceded in more than 350 minutes of football, saved bravely at the midfielder's feet, but the ball fell kindly to Akpom who tucked away the opener.

The hosts showed great character to continue dominating possession but could have fallen two behind when Meyler headed Ryan Taylor's corner goalwards but Rose cleared the ball off the line.

The remainder of the first period was even as both sides failed to create clear-cut chances.

Pope came within an inch of connecting with Chris Hussey's corner on the stroke of half time for what would have been a certain goal.

Bury's bad luck continued five minutes after the restart when Rose had a big penalty claim turned down after he was seemingly punched in the face by Jakupovic when challenging for the ball in the air.

Flitcroft rolled the dice in the 51st minute with a double substitution, sending on Lowe and Jones for Rose and Andrew Tutte.

The freshness of both players gave Bury an extra dimension and allowed them to kick on in the search for an equaliser.

And Lowe thought he had equalised with his first touch after turning a Mayor cross over the line, but it was controversially ruled out for offside.

From the resulting free-kick, Hull launched a counter attack and as Sone Aluko broke into the box from the right channel he went to ground a little too easily under a challenge from Brown.

Referee Darren Bond had no hesitation, pointing straight to the spot and Akpom stepped up to send Lawlor the wrong way.

The young Gunner completed his hat-trick with aplomb in the 69th minute, cutting in from the left before curling an effort into the top right-hand corner.

When it looked like Bury may collapse they did exactly the opposite, fashioning a couple of chances to restore some pride.

Both opportunities fell to fans' favourite Lowe who blasted a shot from the edge of the box straight at the goalkeeper before putting a free header over the bar from six yards.

Wide-man Jones turned Mayor's left-wing cross over the line at the back post four minutes from time, which lifted the home crowed and installed a little belief in a possible comeback.

Hull retreated and sat deep, inviting pressure, but it was too little, too late for Bury as they piled men into the penalty area to no avail.

The result drew a curtain on Bury's superb FA Cup run which saw them reach the fourth round for the first time in eight years after knocking out Wigan, Rochdale and Bradford in the previous rounds.

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Match ratings

BURY (4-4-2): Lawlor 6; Soares 7, Cameron 7, Brown 7, Hussey 6; Tutte 6 (Jones 51, 7), Pugh 6, Etuhu 6 (Riley 11, 6), Mayor 8; Pope 6, Rose 6 (Lowe 51, 7).

Not used: Mellis, Burgess, P Clarke, Miller.

Hull: (4-2-3-1): Jakupovi?; Taylor, Bruce, Dawson, Tymon (Hayden 80); Meyler, Huddlestone; Elmohamady, Aluko (Maguire 85), Diomande (Clucas 68); Akpom.

Not used: McGregor, Hernández, Snodgrass, Livermore.

Goals: Bury – Jones 86. Hull – Akpom 14, 57, 69.

Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire).

Attendance: 7,064 (2,746 visiting).

STAR MAN: Danny Mayor – The winger provided the spark for the Shakers going forward with a couple of mesmerising runs that should have led to assists but the strikers were unable to apply the finish. Mayor did set up Jones for a late consolation goal and was a constant thorn in Hull's side all afternoon.