It's been a long time coming, but today is the day where Bury invite all football supporters to Gigg Lane to make Good Friday great. After having a look round pre-match, I watched the fans team on Sky, yes Sky Sports - what next? I also met a few of the message board regulars including James (who asked for a mention).

Bury are doing well in recent games after the return of several key players to the team, and after two wins and a draw, the Shakers are back at Gigg to face Grimsby, who beat them 5-1 in the early season. As the crowd made their way to the seats, the importance of the game became evident - could Bury perform on cue?

After beating the league leaders Yeovil on their own turf last week, it seems that Bury are capable of anything. The sunshine at the south coast brought out the best in them, so it became a debate as to whether a larger crowd than usual would act as that extra push to get the Shakers to safety.

In advance, I'd like to send a huge thank you to all fans who came to Gigg today as neutrals - your support is greatly appreciated. The audience included fans from Preston North End, West Ham, Sunderland, Wrexham, and many many others. One certain famous face making his return was Dean Kiely - a legend in the true sense of the word. Pre match warm-up over, it was time for the Shakers to take the stage.

The game had a speedy start, with Bury given a corner in the first minute. After being taken from the right, it met the head of Challinor at the far post, whose head on the head of Porter brought the first goal for Bury. Less than a minute gone and the Shakers were ahead - excellent.

Shakers 1 Grimsby 0

Cheers of "we're gonna win 5-1" came from the Grimsby faithful, which brought a smile to the ground - possibly a panicked one on the Bury fans. Then on 4 minutes, Porter was alone in the area again with a free header that he skied the bar with. Moments later and a low cross from Newby was saved by Williams, with Porter waiting close by.

Then it was 2 for Bury on 11 minutes, after a head on into the box from Mattis left BBM with space to move and position his shot into the bottom corner of the net, leaving Williams helpless. Walking on sunshine maybe.

Shakers 2 Grimsby 0

A defensive error from Grimsby on 19 minutes almost left them with the blushes, after a clearance from Bull ricocheted off Simon Whaley and past Tony Williams in net. The ball rolled wide of the post but it could have so easily been a goal. A long range effort from Gritten on 21 minutes was miles over the bar and straight into the almost full Cemetery End.

A booking for Bury on 24 minutes for David Flitcroft after a foul on Gritten. With adrenaline running through every player on the field, Flicker needed to calm down a little bit with that one. Then a booking for Bull on 28 minutes after a foul on Chris Porter. Whatever he did left Porter flying in the air, and referee Nigel Miller granted it as yellow card territory. Things started to get heated after that with BBM being penalised for a foul as well.

Sub for Bury on 33 minutes - CKR on for Jon Newby.

Tom Kennedy cleverly won a corner on 34 minutes, taken on the left by Flicker. Challinor almost connected before it was cleared for a throw in. A quickly taken free kick for Bury on 39 confused both teams as it was hoofed forward. Whaley and CKR both missed it while the Grimsby defence were still getting back.

A chance for Reddy on 44 minutes after some rebounding in the box following a free kick, he tried to make his way through the Bury defence, but his shot was wide of the post. Two minutes of additional time were indicated by the fourth official as Bury kept possession and more importantly, the lead.

After breaking the offside trap on 46, Porter's neat cross inside to BBM in the box left him with two defenders on his tail and the ball resulted in a goal kick. Moments later and a shot from Mattis lacked power and seemed an easy save for Williams, but he managed to fumble it before eventually gathering it.

And that was how the score stayed - 2-0 to the Shakers and deservedly so. An ovation for the players as they leave the field, and also for Dean Kiely as he presented the coveted half time draw. I was three numbers off first prize, so better luck next time Deano.

Half Time - Shakers 2 Grimsby 0

Double Sub for Grimsby at Half Time - Rob Jones on for Ronnie Bull, and Stacy Coldicott on for Martin Gritten.

The teams return to the field with two changes made for Grimsby, and the referee and officials changing their tops from black to yellow. Kit clash maybe? Grimsby started the half well and topped that good start with a goal for Michael Reddy on 48 minutes. He was left with room in the area to shoot and took the goal well.

Shakers 2 Grimsby 1

A surging run from CKR down the left wing on 49 minutes left Bury with a corner. The sun was now shining and right into Williams' eyes but the corner was too deep and resulted in a throw in. Another throw in followed and was taken from far into the corner by Challinor.

Sent into the area, it was flicked on by numerous Bury players before reaching CKR in front of goal who turned and shot to beat Williams and put goal number three on the score sheet for Bury, and goal number one on CKR's personal tally. Challinor celebrated in his own special way by winding up the Grimsby fans, and CKR looked very chuffed with his first goal for the Shakers.

Shakers 3 Grimsby 1

Sub for Bury on 57 minutes - Jon Cartledge on for Lee Unsworth.

Bury maintained a lot of the possession in the following minutes, with attacks coming from Mattis and Kennedy. A free kick was given to Bury on 65 minutes after a foul on CKR by Rob Jones who was then booked. The free kick may as well have been a corner, which was then cleared by Grimsby.

A long range effort from Pinault on 71 minutes was wide of the post and didn't seem to trouble Garner much. Pressure from CKR on the Grimsby defence was taking it's toll as they were forced to clear the ball for a corner on 78 minutes. Taken by Kennedy, it was aimed at the far post but ended up as a goal kick as it failed to connect with the players waiting in the box.

Sub for Bury on 80 minutes - Ricky Shakes on for Chris Porter.

Sub for Grimsby on 84 minutes - David Soames on for John McDermott.

Grimsby piled on the pressure in the closing stages of the game, one shot being cleared off the line by Kennedy on 87 minutes. They had corner after corner, and also a long range curling effort from Matt Harrold which went well wide.

The game almost had a dramatic and comical finish while Williams rushed out of his net to clear a Bury attack, but lost the control of the ball and left CKR with the chance to beat him from far out. Williams had to save Grimsby's blushes again as he tipped the ball away from the goal whilst running back, and out for a Bury corner.

Three minutes of additional time were indicated by the fourth official as Bury looked ever closer to pulling off an impressive victory. The introduction of Ricky Shakes had made the Grimsby defence work even harder, as he and CKR connected well on various occasions.

The ref called it a day as the Bury crowd (loyal Shakers and newly instated ones) rose to their feet to applaud the team who had done what was ordered. The turnout from the crowd was impressive, as was the performance from Bury. They had to show everyone what they are capable of and they did it in style.

A goal in the first minute and two others set the Shakers well on their way to three points, and they managed to keep the Grimsby goals to just the one. That leaves Bury unbeaten in four games, ten points from twelve, and off to face Chester on Easter Monday. As promised, Good Friday turned out to be great, and thanks again to those who made the trip down to Gigg from all over the country.

Is this the way to Amarillo? Not quite, but the Shakers are on their way back up the table and away from any possible danger. Couple that with a 3-0 defeat for Rochdale at Southend, and this is a great day to be a Shaker - or a neutral along for the ride.

Full Time - Shakers 3 Grimsby 1

Attendence - 5671, with 639 from Grimsby