ACCRINGTON Stanley suffered a third successive defeat as they lost 1-0 at home to Bury despite an encouraging performance against the promotion chasers.

Nathan Cameron’s 80th minute header proved to be the difference between the sides as David Flitcroft’s side took all three points back down the M66, leaving Stanley down in 15th.

Stanley started brightly, exerting some early pressure on the Bury goal, and former Shaker Andy Procter, back in the red shirt against his old club, saw a shot inside the box blocked by a defender and out for a corner.

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Minutes later Kal Naismith drove a free kick into the wall before Chris Hussey was forced to take evasive action to repel a cross from Adam Buxton.

Shay McCartan went closest for the Reds in the early exchanges, heading a flick from Rob Atkinson wide of the target.

Bury came into the game unbeaten in two and occupying the final play-off spot and grew into the game, with Hallam Hope scuffing a shot straight at Matt Macey.

The best openings of the half fell to the Shakers, with Cameron heading over the top when unopposed from Andrew Tutte’s corner and then Tutte fluffed his lines when he received Danny Nardiello’s cutback and smashed it miles over the bar.

John Coleman’s side had the last word of the first 45 minutes with Luke Joyce intercepting a stray pass but blasting his effort over the top.

Fifteen minutes in the dressing room prompted another early Stanley surge, with a Naismith free kick from the right evading everyone before Piero Mingoia drove the ball inches wide with the Scot just unable to get a telling touch.

Soon visiting goalkeeper Nick Pope was called into action for the first real time when Procter released Mingoia down the right and his left foot strike forced the keeper to get down to his left and push the ball out.

That prompted a spell for the home side, with McCartan heading wide before the Northern Irishman was thwarted by a super save by Pope. McCartan twisted in a congested area to get a shot away and though the goalkeeper saw it late he got down to his right to keep the ball out.

At the other end the Shakers still posed a threat and Seamus Conneely was forced to scramble the ball out of the six yard box when it seemed that sub Nicky Adams had beaten Macey.

Things were starting to become a little stretched and Mingoia chose the wrong option for the home team when he intercepted a misplaced pass and ran to the edge of the box but shot over the top.

Shortly after McCartan broke away and laid the ball back to Joyce. The captain drilled an effort in and the ball rustled the net but it was the side netting.

But just when Stanley seemed most likely to break the deadlock they fell behind. The home defence partially cleared Hussey’s free kick back to the taker and he delivered deep to the far post for Cameron to head emphatically beyond Macey to make it 1-0 with less than ten minutes remaining.

Late pressure brought half chances but the Reds couldn’t capitalise. Dean Winnard flicked a Mingoia cross to sub Josh Windass but he scuffed his shot straight at Pope before the same player saw a strike blocked on the edge of the area.

Even the sight of Macey going forward for a last gasp corner couldn’t break Bury’s resolve.

Stanley: Macey, Buxton (Liddle 74), Atkinson, Conneely, Winnard, Joyce, Procter, Mingoia, McCartan, Naismith (Windass 66), Maguire (Carver 87) Bury: Pope, Soares, Cameron, El-Abd, Hussey, Jones (Rose 77), Tutte, Etuhu (Riley 45), Mayor, Nardiello, Hope (Adams 58)