ACCRINGTON Stanley suffered injury time heartbreak as Sean McConville’s missed spot kick gave League One Bury a 2-1 win at the Wham Stadium.

The Shakers looked to be cruising with goals from Hallam Hope and Andrew Tutte, but Stanley’s never say die attitude saw Gerardo Bruna haul them back into the match before McConville missed wildly from 12 yards in injury time; the chance for spot kicks gone.

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Accrington boss John Coleman made five changes to his side from the one that earned a point against Northampton Town on Saturday.

Adam Morgan made his first start for the Reds following his move from Yeovil Town in the summer while former Derby County man Ross Etheridge made his debut in the Stanley goal.

Anthony Barry, Billy Kee and Liam Wakefield also earned places in Coleman’s starting XI; the latter making only his second appearance.

In a rules related twist, with the competition requiring six players from Saturday’s match to start Tuesday’s contest, Andy Procter replaced Seamus Conneelly inside two minutes.

After an even start, Bury were first to find the target through Andrew Tutte, but his bending right foot effort from the edge of the area was saved by Etheridge.

Stanley replied via McConville’s curling free kick from the left which Rob Lainton in the Shakers goal did well to parry away to safety.

With 31 minutes on the clock, Bury’s central midfield playmaker Jacob Mellis came close to opening the scoring from long range, but he dragged his shot wide.

Stanley fans almost had something to cheer just prior to half-time.

A wicked McConville set piece caused Lainton all sorts of problems as he flapped at the corner; the ball thumped from the line by a desperate defender.

David Flitcroft made a double change at the break, Reece Brown and Tom Pope entering the fray for the Danny’s Pugh and Mayor.

And within two minutes, Pope made an instant impact.

The Stanley defence failed to deal with the bulking centre forward as he advanced into the area, the ball breaking to Hope who found the bottom left hand corner to the adulation of the travelling Bury contingent.

It certainly wasn’t a picture perfect goal, but Joe Riley almost produced a work of art that Michelangelo would have been proud of just moments later; his fizzing strike from a short free kick stretching Etheridge to the limit.

Stanley responded well without really threatening the Bury goal, and their League One opponents made them pay in the 70th minute; Tutte clipping Mellis’ through ball over the advancing Etheridge to double their lead.

The Reds huffed and puffed as the game entered the closing stages and were rewarded with Bruna’s first goal in English football, the Argentine finding the bottom left hand corner from just inside the area.

Bury substitute Tom Soares should have wrapped up the win with a tame free header as the game headed towards injury time, and their reprieve extended despite McConville winning an injury time penalty.

The Stanley No.11 picked himself up off the floor, but the less said about his spot kick the better.

And that was that for Stanley.

Accrington: Etheridge, Pearson, Winnard (c), Barry, Davies, Mingoia (Bruna 68), Morgan (Phillips 54), McConville, Wakefield, Conneely (Procter 2), Kee.

Subs not used: Mooney, Goulding.

Bury: Lainton, Riley, Hussey, Tutte (Soares 76), Hope, Mellis, Mayor (Pope 46), Jones, Pugh (Brown 46), Cameron (c), Foulds.

Not used: Ruddy, Lowe.

Referee: Tony Harrington Attendance: 1,344