Having taken the lead through a great Mo Touray strike, a five-minute spell followed where the Shakers conceded twice and had a man sent off, changing the match completely.

Bury started the day on the front foot, keeping the ball well.

But the first chance fell to the visitors Workington on the counter-attack.

A cross from the right fell to Brennan Dickenson whose shot from 10 yards was blocked by James Neild.

The hosts began to carve out chances of their own.

An Owen Robinson cross was met by the late-arriving Rustam Stepans, who blazed over the bar, while Bobby Carroll’s deep ball to Tom Carr was glanced wide by the Bury forward.

Workington still posed a threat when they won the ball.

Another counter-attack saw a cross flash across the face of the Bury goal where Dickenson at the far post was just a moment too late.

The Reds' best chances otherwise came from long throws into the Shakers' box, one overthrown effort cleared everyone and landed in the side-netting of the Bury goal.

Late in the first half, Bury started to look more at ease.

A James Melhado shot from the left was saved by Reds' keeper Alfie Scales before a Robinson shot was deflected wide and Carr could only get a knee to a Neild cross, and Scales easily claimed the ball.

After the break, Bury looked to build on their momentum.

Stepans played in Robinson to shoot, his effort going wide of the far post.

Stepans then crossed to Tom Carr, who could not keep his header down.

Stepans also tried a chance of his own, twisting away from a challenge, turning and firing a shot that bounced off the inside of the post.

The Bury goal was coming and it arrived thanks to a beauty by Touray.

Collecting the ball from 25 yards, Touray picked his spot, curling the ball to the far top corner.

Bury at last had the lead and could have claimed another when Stepans’ cross from the bye-line reached Carr, but his looping header landed on the roof of the net.

From seemingly nowhere, Workington equalised.

Allowed too much of the ball, Bury were not able to stop the away side from coming forward and eventually the ball fell to Simon Rigby who produced a great goal of his own, curling a shot to the far post to make it 1-1.

Having worked so hard to earn a lead all day only to surrender it so cheaply and quickly, the day soon turned on the Shakers.

Another counter-attack from the Reds had them on their heels.

Oscar Threlkeld was the lone man back as Tom Stephenson attacked and, as the Workington man went down from a Threlkeld challenge, the referee’s red card came out.

Though Bury survived the next few minutes, it felt cruel as Stephenson capitalised on a gap in defence, lobbing Mitch Allen to give Workington the lead.

In response, Bury were trying but only spinning their wheels.

As hard as it had been to break down Workington when the scores were level and Bury had 11 on the pitch, trailing with a man down proved to be too great a challenge for the Shakers.

Attacking substitutes were made, one in DJ Pedro did well to win the ball on the bye-line, but his pullback never found a free man and Workington were able to clear their lines.

A dangerous free-kick for the Shakers was taken by Owen Robinson.

His effort, narrowly wide of the far post, had half the South Stand on their feet.

Another substitute, in Dom Telford, found himself through on goal after a ball over the top reached him.

He was clumsily bundled over by a Workington defender in the box and despite the vociferous appeals on the pitch and in the stands, seemingly the only person in Gigg Lane who didn’t think it was a penalty was referee Adam Watson.

There was a final chance in stoppage time for Bury to maybe claim an equaliser, but the cross eluded DJ Pedro, fell to Stepans, and his shot cleared the bar.

The defeat brings to an end the recent spell of good form at home.

There is little respite for the Shakers, however, who will run out at Gigg Lane again midweek against Avro.