BATTLING Bury came from behind to heap more Seward Stadium misery on Lee Bradbury’s League One strugglers.

Marc Pugh’s first-half opener should have put Cherries on course to record only their second home win of the season as the hosts dominated.

But after Wes Thomas had spurned a glorious chance to double their lead, the Shakers levelled through Giles Coke’s well-taken effort on the stroke of half-time.

And after Andy Bishop had headed home in the 53rd minute, Bradbury’s men looked decidedly short on ideas for the remainder of the second half.

The defeat saw Cherries slip into the drop zone as Bradbury’s men suffered a fifth home league reverse.

Fit-again Michael Symes was named in the Cherries starting line-up for the first time this season following three impressive substitute appearances.

The striker, fully recovered from a persistent groin injury, partnered Wes Thomas in attack as boss Lee Bradbury opted to go with two up front.

Symes was drafted in for Shaun Cooper, who was nursing a calf problem, while new signing Charlie Sheringham was named among the Cherries substitutes.

Cherries made a flying start and could have taken the lead after just 76 seconds when Thomas curled an effort wide after trading passes with Symes.

Thomas, who gave the Shakers defence much to ponder during the early stages, also went close with a header and had a goalbound shot charged down.

Steven Schumacher fashioned Bury’s first shooting opportunity after 12 minutes, the midfielder firing wide following a brief spell of pressure from the visitors.

However, normal service was quickly resumed when Symes’s lay-off spilt the Bury defence, Thomas despatching a rasping drive into the side netting.

Darryl Flahavan got down smartly to smother after Coke had smuggled in at the far post before the Cherries goalkeeper saved comfortably from Mike Jones’s speculative long-range strike.

Cherries were rewarded for their endeavours when they opened the scoring through Pugh, the midfielder netting with a deflected effort four minutes before the interval.

Pugh then turned provider for Thomas, his perfectly-weighed cross somehow headed wide of the target by the striker from just six yards.

It was to prove a costly miss as the Shakers immediately mounted a counter-attack, with Coke sweeping home a left-foot shot to restore parity on the stroke of half-time.

Having seen Harry Arter limp off after 32 minutes, Cherries were forced into a further reshuffle when Joe Partington failed to appear for the start of the second half.

Partington was replaced by Wes Fogden, who lined up on the right wing, with Stephen Purches moving into the centre of midfield and Jaime Peters to right-back.

Bury seized the initiative for the first time eight minutes into the second period, Bishop giving Stephane Zubar the slip before heading home Phil Picken’s centre.

A timely tackle from Mark Hughes denied Thomas a shooting chance as Cherries struggled to repeat their first-half dominance after the break.

As Cherries went in search of a leveller, Peters burst forward to send a cross-shot fizzing over the top before Thomas headed over following a Steve Fletcher flick from a Purches throw.

Cherries: Flahavan, Purches, Zubar, Barrett, Cummings, Peters, Arter (Partington, 32, Fogden, h-t), Gregory, Pugh, Symes (Fletcher, 72), Thomas.

Unused subs: Sheringham, Jalal (g/k).

Booked: Zubar.

Shakers: Carson, Picken, Hughes, Sodje, Skarz, Harrad (John-Lewis, 73), Sweeney, Schumacher, Coke, M Jones, Bishop.

Unused subs: Cregg, A Jones, Byrne, Belford (g/k).

Booked: Schumacher, Picken.

Referee: James Linington (Newport, Isle of Wight).

Attendance: 6,122 (including 281 away supporters).