AFC Bournemouth 1 Bury 2 - IT is said things often happen in threes and Bury certainly left the South Coast for home boosted by a hat-trick of good news.
Terry Dunfield extended his loan spell at Gigg Lane by another month, they were handed a perfect Worthington Cup draw and managed a victory at Bournemouth.
The tie against Premiership neighbours Bolton was greeted with jubilation by all the Bury camp.
"The lads were winding me up before the start saying we'd been drawn against Aston Villa," said Andy Preece.
"Our fans are going to get out and support us, even the armchair supporters. It should be a big crowd and a bumper pay day. It's great news for us and something to look forward to."
And for long parts of this game Andy Preece's team appeared to have their minds more on the Reebok date than on the business in hand.
Despite a low key display Bury completed their triple whammy with a first away victory of the campaign.
It's seven games unbeaten for the Shakers now even though they did their best to hand their rivals from Division Two last season an unlikely win.
The Cherries played for 47 minutes with only 10 men after Wade Elliott's dismissal for handball.
Martyn Forrest exercised his right as captain to take the penalty and he sent on-loan Southampton goalie Neil Moss the wrong way from the spot.
Lee Unsworth doubled Bury's lead 10 minutes into the second half, when he headed home a cross from the tireless Chris Billy.
But in the final half hour of the game Bournemouth could have salvaged a point or even better, but fortunately they were kept down to a single long-range strike by Gareth O'Connor.
AFC Bournemouth (4-4-2): Moss, Young (O'Connor 58), Maher, Tindall, Purches, Elliott, Fletcher, Browning (Stock 58), Thomas, Holmes, Connell (Hayter 71); subs not used Narada, Eribenne. Goal: O'Connor (70).
Bookings: Maher (74), Tindall (81)
Sent-off: Elliott (43) handball.
Bury (3-5-2): Garner 6, Barrass 8, Swailes 8, Nelson 9, Unsworth 7, Forrest 7, Dunfield 6 (Clegg 46), Billy 8, Woodthorpe 7, Abbott 6, Newby 7; subs not used: Preece, O'Shaughnessy, Hill, George. Goals: Forrest (pen) 43, Unsworth (55)
Bookings: Abbott (90), Woodthorpe (90)
Attendance: 4851
Worthington CupStockport v Gillingham, Crystal Palace v Cheltenham, Orient v Birmingham, Cambridge Utd v Sunderland, Ipswich v Brighton, Sheff Utd v Wycombe, Wrexham v Everton, Rotherham v Wolves, Chesterfield v West Ham, Charlton v Oxford, Tottenham v Cardiff, Aston Villa v Luton, Sheffield Wednesday v Leicester City, Wigan Athletic v West Bromwich Albion, Coventry City v Rushden & Diamonds, BOLTON WANDERERS v BURY, Southampton v Tranmere Rovers, Brentford v Middlesbrough, Portsmouth v Wimbledon, Nottingham Forest v Walsall, Manchester City v Crewe Alexandra, Huddersfield Town v Burnley, Derby County v Oldham Athletic, Macclesfield v Preston North End.
All ties to be played the week starting September 29.
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