SHAKERS manager Andy Preece was left counting his blessings after wasteful Bury fell to a late goal against struggling Orient only to move up a place in the Division Three table.

John Martin's 87th minute winner should have proved a crushing blow to the home side's promotion hopes but results elsewhere amazingly conspired to push them up to fourth place.

A win in tomorrow night's home clash with Oxford will be enough to push Bury into the automatic promotion spots but Preece remained downbeat over his side's goal-shy display.

"It was really frustrating to lose, especially to a late goal, but if you don't take your chances you are always susceptible to that," he said.

"The number of chances we had, either with clear headers from corners or one-on-ones with the goalkeeper, must have been near double figures.

"We definitely weren't at our best yet we did more than enough to win the games."

Orient looked only a shade above dismal, while Shakers struggled to take their cue and dominate the midfield.

Jon Newby enjoyed the lion's share of their half-chances, having one shot cleared off the line, pulling one wide of the far post and slamming another into the side netting.

Striking partner Colin Cramb then sprang the offside trap only to spend an eternity deliberating over whether to set up Newby or go for goal himself, finally being forced into a comfortably blocked shot.

Preece threw on himself and youngster David Nugent as he switched to a three-striker formation after the break but the reliance on the hopeful long ball continued throughout the game.

Fittingly, their best chance of the game fell to a centre half, the impressively solid Michael Nelson having his powerful header from six yards out palmed over the bar .

Nelson then bravely flung himself into the firing line as Bury failed to clear their lines in the dying stages but his block was followed up a fierce Martin strike, which sailed into the top corner.

Bury: Garner 7, Swailes 7, Nelson 8, Redmond 7, Unsworth 6, Stuart 6,

Billy 6, O'Shaughnessy 6, Dunfield 7, Cramb 7, Newby 7. Subs used: Preece (for Cramb, 72) 6, Nugent (for Billy, 58) 6. Not used: Clegg, Connell, Woodthorpe.

Ref: Mark Cowburn (Blackpool)

Attendance: 2, 707