BYRON Moore struck in each half as woeful Town were condemned to their first home league defeat of the season at a subdued Energy Check County Ground.

The home side delivered an insipid performance almost entirely devoid of intent, accuracy and movement as the Shakers clinched the spoils by a margin a lot more slender than it should have been.

Moore weaved his way into the penalty area to hammer Bury into the lead just short of the 20-minute mark and although loan signing Luke Woolfenden volleyed Town level early in the second half, the visiting attacker reacted quickest to a Jay O’Shea shot that hit the post to smash home the winner on 56 minutes.

Phil Brown made four changes from the side that had defeated Newport in the Checkatrade Trophy in midweek, with top scorer Michael Doughty a surprise absentee from midfield.

As expected, James Dunne filled in at right-back for the suspended Kyle Knoyle, while Stephen Alzate and Jak McCourt came in to the centre of midfield.

Luke McCormick retained his place in goal ahead of Lawrence Vigouroux after two clean sheets, but the veteran gloveman saw rather too much of the ball for his own liking in the early stages as Bury started with real purpose.

Barely 20 seconds were on the clock when Town failed to deal with an innocuous ball down the right flank and the home defence looked all at sea as the ball bobbled around, McCormick needing to make a smart tip around the post from Chris Dagnall.

A minute later he was gathering at his near post as the Shakers threatened again, with Town not yet able to settle into the game.

They improved a smidgen during the next phase, but passes and touches were still going astray, no better illustrated than when captain-for-the-day Marc Richards found himself in acres of space 40 yards out but advanced tentatively and was shut out.

Bury too were guilty of over-thinking matters as Nicky Adams crossed to the far post where Callum McFadzean, 15 yards out, dithered when a first-time short may have caused problems.

But Town were the ones looking out of sorts, Dunne struggling in his right-back role and the midfield continually getting over-run and Bury deservedly took the lead on 19 minutes.

Again the ball was knocked into the right channel, where Byron Moore’s tenacity got him to it in front of a sliding Sid Nelson. While Bury struggled to get bodies up in support, Moore advanced on a retreating Matt Taylor, feinted right and his thumping close-range shot could only be touched into the roof of the net by McCormick.

If the home fans hoped that would shake their side from their slumber, they were sorely mistaken as the performance continued to deteriorate.

Half an hour in, Brown had seen enough and hooked the unfortunate Ellis Iandolo, sending on Toumani Diagouraga in an attempt to restore some semblance of authority to midfield.

Town won two fruitless corners but little else and it was Bury again threatening as Jay O’Shea’s driving run ended with McCormick blocking his cross-cum-shot behind for a corner before Dagnall headed high into the Town End from six yards while totally unmarked.

The hosts limped towards half-time in the same vein, utterly untroubling the Shakers with any sort of shot on target, with referee Kevin Johnson’s whistle coming as something of a relief.

The home side at least started the second half with more purpose and five minutes in they were unexpectedly level.

Elijah Adebayo worked the left channel before Matt Taylor’s cross was headed behind by Chris Stokes. From the corner, Luke Woolfenden and Nelso both went up for the header and as the ball dropped, Woolfenden pinged a crisp volley past Joe Murphy.

Yet the bad old habits crept in again and five minutes later, Bury were back in front. It was all too easy for Moore and Danny Mayor to work their way into the left-edge of the box and when Mayor squared to O’Shea, his daisy cutter hit the post, Moore following up to fire home the rebound through McCormick.

Brown sent on Keshi Anderson to try and inspire more up front from the home side as they reshuffled into some sort of 3-4-1-2 formation but they appeared all at sea tactically as Mayor’s influence grew throughout the second period.

Diagouraga did superbly to block an unmarked Adams’ drive before the defence somehow crowded out Chris Stokes after McCormick had spilled a cross.

McCourt made way for Joe Romanski but the hosts’ threat continued to be minimal, Anderson letting fly from 30 yards with his left foot but shooting wide.

Seven minutes of injury time raised hopes of a revival similar to those against Macclesfield, Tranmere and M K Dons but Town were all out of ideas long before then.

SWINDON TOWN (4-4-2): Luke McCormick; James Dunne (Keshi Anderson 61), Sid Nelson, Luke Woolfenden, Matt Taylor; Jermaine McGlashan, Steven Alzate, Jak McCourt (Joe Romanski 74), Ellis Iandolo (Toumani Diagouraga 31); Marc Richards (captain), Elijah Adebayo.

Subs not used: Lawrence Vigouroux, Martin Smith, Scott Twine, Jordan Edwards.

BURY (3-4-1-2): Joe Murphy; Will Aimson, Adam Thompson, Chris Stokes; Nicky Adams, Neil Danns (Jamie Barjonas 84), Jay O’Shea, Callum McFadzean; Danny Mayor (Stephen Dawson 90); Chris Dagnell, Byron Moore.

Subs not used: Tom Miller, Matt Hudson, Ryan Cooney, Joe Adams, Gold Omotayo.

REFEREE: Kevin Johnson.

ATTENDANCE: 6,087