CHELTENHAM TOWN 1 SHAKERS 0: IT was disappointing enough that Bury's six game unbeaten run came to an end at Whaddon Road but to be thwarted by a contentious penalty decision just added insult to injury.

Not even the Cheltenham players knew what was happening when, in the 66th minute, referee Andy Penn ruled that Shakers' skipper Dave Challinor had impeded the Robins' Steve Guinan at a corner.

Grant despatched the spot kick past Shakers' debutant goalkeeper Andy Marriott despite the Welsh international going the right way.

It was a decision that baffled the much-travelled custodian who had little to do throughout the rest of the game.

"It was a mystery really, because none of the Cheltenham players claimed for it," he said.

"The ref said 'Chally' was holding their player's shirt yet the ball was on his head and he was in front of his man.

"I told him that it would be 4-5 on penalties every week with decisions like that."

Marriott's frustration was compounded minutes later when Shakers striker Chris Porter was clearly floored in the box by Shane Duff only for Mr Penn to wave away claims for a Bury penalty.

But dodgy refereeing decisions apart Graham Barrow's men ultimately paid the price for a lack of a cutting edge in front of goal.

The free-scoring football that marked early season seems to have dried up at present.

And although they enjoyed the lion's share of possession kicking down the Whaddon Road slope in the first half, there were still too few chances created for all their domination.

Their best hopes of getting behind the home defence came through Tom Kennedy whose deliveries from the gave Cheltenham plenty to think about.

The closest they came to breaking the deadlock was in the 19th minute when Dwayne Mattis had a close range shot blocked by Robins' keeper Shane Higgs.

Then, eight minutes later leading scorer Dave Nugent -- who has now gone six games without a goal -- was unlucky to see a near post effort from a Lee Unsworth cross strike the wrong side of the post.

Although Bury enjoyed the best of the possession, the home side also had their moments, twice hitting the woodwork before the interval.

Guinan headed a JJ Melligan cross against the bar midway through the half and Brian Wilson rattled the post with a superb 25 yard free-kick that had Marriott beaten.

In the second 45 minutes, the Shakers never reached the level of performance they displayed in the first yet they still looked well capable of holding out for a second successive 0-0 draw.

That was until Mr Penn's intervention, however.

His decision to deny Bury a spot-kick after Porter was poleaxed understandably frustrated Barrow whose side have yet to be awarded a penalty so far this season.

"I asked the officials for explanations for one or two things and haven't been satisfied with any of their answers," he said.

"It's disappointing. We hadn't lost for a while and it's hard to take but it's even harder to take when you are well in the game and you lose to a decision like that.

"If that was a penalty then they would be awarded at every corner kick."

BURY:

Marriott, Unsworth, Swailes, Challinor, Woodthorpe (Newby 82),

Kennedy, Dunfield (Whaley, 75), Mattis, Barry-Murphy, Nugent, Porter (Kazim-Richards 77). Subs not used: Flitcroft and Barrass.

REFEREE: Mr Andy Penn

ATTENDANCE: 3,061