SCUNTHORPE 3 BURY 2: BURY threw away a 2-1 lead against Scunthorpe but there were plenty of positives to be taken away for manager Graham Barrow.

Brian Laws' side went joint top of League Two after the win but it could have been a different matter had Bury not sold big defender Danny Swailes on Thursday night.

Swailes, who has moved to Macclesfield Town, was sorely missed in the heart of the Shakers defence as the Iron took the points with three headed goals.

It was rough justice on a Gigg Lane side whose performance did not suggest they'd gone eight games without a win, but two goals in the last half hour by evergreen striker Steve Torpey put paid to that.

Despite the defeat there was much to please boss Graham Barrow whose decision to sign young Leeds striker Andy Keogh on loan looks set to pay dividends.

With leading scorer Dave Nugent leaving to join Preston earlier in the week the Bury manager has brought in the Irish Under-19 international initially for a month.

And the talented Dubliner duly obliged with a debut goal that at one stage looked likely to give the Shakers an unlikely win.

It was the home side that drew first blood however, going in front as early as the fifth minute when defender Andy Butler was given the space to home a Peter Beagrie corner.

Despite that setback the Shakers took control of the game and had Scunthorpe on the back foot for the rest of the half.

Bury replied when Chris Porter got on the end of a fine, flowing move which started with Colin Woodthorpe at the back.

Three minutes after the restart Bury had taken the lead courtesy of a splendid goal by Keogh.

In the 64th minute Scunthorpe drew level and again the goal came from a corner kick.

Beagrie's delivery was punched clear by Andy Marriott but only found substitute Cleveland Taylor on the edge of the box.

The defence failed to deal with the former Bolton Wanderers player's lob into the box and big Torpey forced home a header from close range.

It looked like the Shakers were going to hold out for a hard-earned -and not undeserved point - until the inevitable happened three minutes from time.

Taylor turned substitute Lee Unsworth before delivering an exquisite cross to the far post that the unstoppable Torpey forced home from four yards.