Bury 3 Swansea City 2 - BURY boss Andy Preece was thrilled by the resolve of his young side after yet another refereeing blunder threatened to cost them their first points of the season.

Shakers' early campaign has been blighted by ill fortune, with a blatant penalty appeal turned down at Oxford on the opening day and a clear handball giving Cambridge victory in midweek.

And, with the match seemingly in the bag at 2-0 up with half an hour to go, the officials got it spectacularly wrong again as Steve Redmond was harshly penalised for allegedly bringing down James Thomas in the box. Thomas netted the rebound, after Glyn Garner had brilliantly parried his spot kick, to give the Swans hope. And there was more misery in store for Bury as defender Danny Swailes nodded John Williams' long throw into his own net with just 12 minutes to go.

A draw would have been a travesty and a tragedy for Bury, who completely dominated from start to finish in a powerful passing display that contrasted their Cambridge failings.

And when Swailes atoned for his error just two minutes later by stabbing home from two yards out, Preece was left buzzing by the way his side bounced back from two sickening blows.

"I told them before the game that we were going to have to fight against everything in this league and it proved that way again today," he said.

"Our first two games turned on bad decisions by the referee and it nearly happened with the penalty today. We had lost our first two games, conceded a penalty that never was, scored an own goal, the crowd went quiet and the players just had to find something within themselves.

"They did that really well to get the winner and they have answered a lot of questions with that performance.

"I'm glad it was Danny who scored the winner because it showed what great character he has. That's what I ask for. If you make a mistake then don't show anyone else how disappointed you are, just go and make up for it."

Shakers seemed to have done the damage in a controlled yet entertaining opening period, as they split the struggling City defence at will. It took just nine minutes to make the breakthrough as George Clegg added to his Oxford spectacular with a beautifully-measured curling volley, which sneaked inside the left hand post from outside the box. The lead was deservedly doubled after 36 minutes when Lee Unsworth's dangerous attacking runs finally bore fruit. His cross from the right flank eventually dropped to Jon Newby, who picked his spot at the far post for a morale-boosting first goal in eight matches and only his second since February.

Loan signing Terry Dunfield pulled the strings in midfield on his Shakers debut, with an array of inch-perfect passes sprayed across the immaculate Gigg Lane surface, while Pawel Abbott continued to impress up front as the home side cruised towards a vital victory. But the atmosphere turned on its head within moments and only when Unsworth's cross was squared back by Newby for Swailes to prod home the winner could Preece and the Bury fans start to breathe easy again.

STAT ATTACK

Garner 7, Barrass 7, Stuart 7, Swailes 8, Unsworth 9, Forrest 8, Clegg 8, Redmond 7, Abbott 7, Dunfield 9, Newby 7. Subs: Preece (for Abbott 87) 6, Billy (for Clegg 81) 6. Not used: George, Hill, Nelson. Attendance: 2,348