RYAN Lowe paid yet more tributes to Bury’s champion spirit as they came through the fire to keep their promotion charge on track with victory at Forest Green.

The Shakers were given the runaround for most of the first period in Gloucestershire but Nicky Maynard hit a late winner as they sensationally came from behind to keep themselves three points behind League Two leaders Lincoln.

The character on show had Lowe enthused and the Bury manager was thrilled to see his players hand their travelling supporters something to shout about.

“This is a massively important win for us, especially away from home. It’s another win and another important three points,” said Lowe.

“It was a very poor first half from our point of view. We know Forest Green are a good passing side but we got the response that we needed and turned it around.

“We were put under a lot of pressure throughout but we stood firm and that is very pleasing. It is something we have worked very hard on in training.

“We work on things, we speak about things, and we know what we want to do out there on the pitch.

“The support from the travelling fans means a lot to me, the staff, the players and we’re buzzing.

“We can send them home with the points. They deserved it for the backing that they always give us.”

A below-par Shakers failed to register a single shot on target throughout the first half and trailed at the break to Reece Brown’s 28th-minute opener.

But they turned it around after the introduction of substitutes Eoghan O’Connell, Byron Moore and Caolan Lavery sparked them into life.

Jay O’Shea’s precise 69th-minute finish drew them level and Maynard completed the unlikely comeback when he smashed home with seven minutes to play.

Bury received a major let-off when Christian Doidge fired over after Callum McFadzean’s challenge fell into his path early on.

Doidge then just failed to get on the end of Nathan McGinley’s cross.

Adam Thompson had to make a timely interception on 17 minutes before Brown had a shot blocked as the home side turned the screw.

And Rovers’ pressure finally paid off when Brown slotted home with the aid of a deflection following Liam Shephard’s cut-back.

O’Shea had a curling effort deflected for a stoppage-time corner to end a half the visitors would wish to forget.

The hosts’ George Williams nodded wide from a corner just after the restart before Joseph Mills went close with a diving header on 52 minutes.

The Rovers full-back then fired well wide with a snap-shot after Murphy fluffed a clearance and found himself out of goal.

Brown was next to go close but Bury were somehow level when O’Shea got past two men on the edge of the box before beating keeper James Montgomery.

Murphy again needed to be at his best to keep out a Brown effort with 12 minutes to go and that save proved all the more crucial when Maynard turned well in the box before powerfully firing home.

Forest Green Rovers: Montgomery 6, McGinley 6, Gunning 7, Rawson 6, Shephard 7, Winchester 7, Brown 8, James 6 (Scoble 87 5), Mills 6, Williams 7 (McCoulsky 71 6), Doidge 8. (Campbell 81 5).

Subs not used: Collins, Digby, Reid, Ward.

Bury: Murphy 6, Aimson 6, Thompson 8, Stokes 6, Adams 6, O’Shea 7, Mayor 6, Danns 5 (O’Connell 59 8), McFadzean 7 (Moore 58 8), Maynard 5, Telford 5 (Lavery 68 7).

Subs not used: Miller, Cooney, Omotayo, Maloney.

Referee: Lee Swabey.

Attendance: 2,940.