RYAN Lowe’s dream of becoming Bury manager looks certain to be over after the Shakers were dumped out of the FA Cup by non-league Woking.

Bury were unbeaten in three since Lowe was named caretaker boss and Tuesday night’s replay seemed a great chance to build on Saturday’s draw at Gillingham and stake a claim for the permanent job.

After all, Woking came into the game eighth in the National League after failing to win in their previous five.

But they embarrassed the Shakers with goals midway through each half by Regan Charles-Cook and Inih Effiong.

Substitute Jamie Philpot then compounded Bury’s misery with a third goal on 86 minutes, securing Woking’s place in the second round and sparking home fans to vent their fury towards Lowe’s men.

There were chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” and “you’re only here for the money” before the team left the field with boos ringing in their ears. Lowe did not offer any excuses after seeing Bury lose to a non-league club for the first time since being knocked out by Northwich Victoria in the 2000/01 season.

He said: “The first 20 minutes you thought ‘it could be our night’. But then, to a man, they were nowhere near good enough. That performance was a shambles. All due respect to Woking, they were different class, but you can’t let sides like that come to this club and roll us over.

“The chairman and the fans have put a lot of money into the club and the players aren’t paying them back. Whoever’s the manager, that performance cannot happen again – I’ve told them that.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for the lads but it’s hurting the club, the chairman, and the fans, and I want it to hurt the players too.”

The Shakers made a dream start to the initial game at Woking, scoring in the opening minute, and almost did the same again as Michael Smith’s third-minute strike came back off the post. Keeper Nathan Baxter then denied Smith from Nicky Ajose’s through-ball.

Woking gave the hosts a warning of what was to come as Kane Ferdinand sidefooted wide from Matt Young’s cut-back.

Greg Leigh then saw a header turned wide before firing wide from Smith’s knock-down. But the visitors stunned the Shakers on the break to open the scoring on 30 minutes.

Effiong turned on halfway and burst into the Bury half before finding Joe Ward on the left and his low cross was perfect for Charles-Cook, younger brother of one-time Bury keeper Reice Charles-Cook, to sidefoot home.

The Shakers had a chance to hit straight back but Ajose mistimed his header before captain Phil Edwards, playing at right wing-back, crossed for Smith to clip the bar with a header.

A flowing move resulted in Jay O’Shea scuffing a shot wide, and the Irish forward sent two efforts over after the break.

Smith also headed wide from a Neil Danns cross but Effiong, who hadn’t scored in 12 games, beat Tom Aldred in the box to curl in a shot on 71 minutes.

Chez Isaac then pounced on an Edwards error for Philpot to turn defeat into an embarrassment. The visiting supporters chanted “Football League, you’re having a laugh” while Bury fans expressed their anger.

“In all the years I’ve been here, I’ve never heard that,” Lowe added. “At half time I said ‘your fans are booing you. What can you do to go out there and change it?’.

“I was a passionate player, I wore my heart on my sleeve. I know these lads have done that before but tonight they haven’t.”

Yet while Bury supporters barracked their own team, dozens also applauded the Woking players.

“Credit to the Bury fans who clapped us off, I was quite surprised by that,” said Cards’ manager Anthony Limbrick. “I’ve not seen that very often. I think they appreciated the honesty, the hard work and how brave we were.”

Match ratings

Bury (3-4-1-2): Fasan 5; Cameron 5 (Maguire 74, 5), Aldred 4, O’Connell 4; Edwards 4, Danns 5 (Reilly 69, 4), Ince 5 (Tutte 46, 4), Leigh 5; O’Shea 4; Smith 4, Ajose 4. Not used: Humphrey, Whitmore, Williams, Maloney.

Woking (4-4-2): Baxter; Young, Orlu, Wynter, Ralph; Ferdinand, Jones, Isaac (Appau 90), Ward (Saraiva 84); Charles-Cook (Philpot 77), Effiong. Not used: Carter, Mason.

Referee: Ross Joyce (Cleveland).

Attendance: 1,513.