BURY are one game from Wembley after beating Oxford 5-2 on Tuesday night to reach the Checkatrade Trophy semi-finals.

The Shakers struggled early on at a snowy Gigg Lane but soon found their feet to show why they are chasing promotion in League Two.

Dominic Telford gave them a 16th-minute lead against the run of play, although League One Oxford levelled through James Henry’s 24th-minute penalty.

But Adam Thompson put Bury back in front just two minutes later before Byron Moore pounced on 41 minutes to make it 3-1 at the break.

Half-time substitute Samir Carruthers pulled one back on 51 minutes, only for Danny Mayor to restore the Shakers’ two-goal cushion in style four minutes later.

And the winger saw a deflected strike go in with 13 minutes left to book Bury’s place in Friday’s semi-final draw.

Perhaps with one eye on Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash at home to Lincoln, Ryan Lowe made four changes to the side which won at Forest Green on Saturday, with joint-top scorers Nicky Maynard and Jay O’Shea left on the bench.

The U’s also came into the game in a buoyant mood having beaten League One leaders Portsmouth to climb to 20th in the table, and they made just two changes.

Snow began to fall about an hour before kick-off and initially Oxford handled the conditions better, with Marcus Browne testing Joe Murphy while Ahmed Kashi fizzed over a long-range effort.

Bury replied with Telford firing just wide from inside the box after the visitors failed to deal with a long throw by Tom Miller.

And that proved to be a sighter for the diminutive striker as moments later he latched onto a loose ball 25 yards out before unleashing a low strike.

Most Bury players and fans thought the chance had gone and it took a few seconds for them to realise the ball had, in fact, squirmed under keeper Simon Eastwood and trickled into the net.

Oxford were gifted a chance to equalise as Miller brought down Browne and Henry hit the spot-kick straight down the middle.

But the U’s failed to clear another long throw by MiIler and Thompson, one of Bury’s back three, pounced to volley between Eastwood’s legs from six yards.

Browne’s low shot kept Murphy alert before Bury produced a slick passing move to seemingly put themselves on the brink of the semi-finals.

Eoghan O’Connell, who was superb in a holding midfield role, found wing-back Callum McFadzean on the left and he exchanged passes with Mayor before cutting a crisp ball back for Moore to turn in from close range.

Carruthers drilled in a 20-yard strike just after half time but Bury ensured there would be no nervy moments by getting straight back on the front foot.

Substitute Nicky Adams was denied by Eastwood before an Adams cross was cleared as far as Mayor, who beat one man before curling a trademark strike into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Mayor then jinked his way inside before his 16-yard strike was deflected in for his ninth goal of the season.

SHAKERS (3-5-2)

JOE MURPHY 8

TOM MILLER 8

ADAM THOMPSON 8

CHRIS STOKES 7

RYAN COONEY 7

NEIL DANNS 8

EOGHAN O’CONNELL 9

DANNY MAYOR 9

CALLUM McFADZEAN 8

DOMINIC TELFORD 8

BYRON MOORE 8

Subs: Adams 7, 46 (for Stokes), Lavery 6, 61 (for Moore), Hulme 6, 81 (for Mayor).

Not used: Maynard, Omotayo, O’Shea, Moloney.

Oxford (4-2-3-1): Eastwood; Hanson, Nelson, Dickie, Ruffels; Kashi, Brannagan; Graham, Henry, Browne; Mackie.

Subs: Carruthers 46 (for Brannagan), Whyte 65 (for Mackie), Graham 80 (for Sykes).

Not used: Garbutt, Long, Mousinho, Stevens.

Referee: Thomas Bramall (South Yorkshire).