By George Thomas at Underhill Stadium
The shakers were given a lesson in finishing by a Barnet side who made the most of their chances.
Earlier, the Shakers had spurned enough opportunities to see them on their way.
Kicking down the infamous Underhill slope, Bury's side showed just one last minute change, with Andy Parrish coming in at right back to replace Steve Haslam who had gone down with a stomach bug.
Bury started the game the brighter side, and after just two minutes, some good passing play sent Elliott Bennett on a run down the right wing. Unfortunately for the Shakers, his cross just eluded the outstretching leg of Adam Rooney and went out of play for a goal kick,
Two minutes later and Bury were once again on the attack due to a well timed tackle from Andy Parrish, whose pass out to Nicky Adams on the left wing allowed the winger the opportunity to send the ball into the box. His enticing cross was met by a stooping Bennett with a glancing header, but his effort was well saved by the Barnet keeper Lee Harrison diving down to his left hand side,
Barnet had their first effort on goal after 9 minutes, when Anthony Thomas turned and hit a powerful strike on the volley, which luckily went straight into Jim Provett's waiting arms.
However, Bury looked the side who were the more likely to score, and on 12 minutes, a break down the right wing from Bennett saw the pacy wide man send in a low cross into the feet of Rooney. Unfortunately for the young loan striker, his tame shot failed to trouble the waiting Harrison.
Again, on 20 minutes, Bennett galloped away from his man down the right wing, and after a clever turn inside, found himself just inside the box. His cross though was over hit, and missed the incoming run of Rooney.
With 25 minutes on the clock, the ball broke to Andy Bishop on the edge of the box. It seemed he had let any sort of chance to shoot get away from him, but after some good footwork and close control, managed to create a shooting opportunity which was well saved by Harrison.
Barnet came back into the game though, and managed to force a couple of shaky moments out of the Bury central pairing of Efe Sodje and Ben Futcher,
After 35 minutes, Barnet's captain Michael Leary sent in a dangerous looking cross, which Anthony Thomas headed into Jim Provetts side netting, much to the Barnet supporters disappointment who thought the ball had gone in.
The game petered out with both sides sharing an equal amount of the ball, Half time came, and Bury would have felt disappointed that they had wasted good chances within the first twenty minutes.
The second half started in a similar fashion to the first, with the side shooting downhill in the ascendancy. On 48 minutes, Thomas turned Futcher in the box, and hit a right footed shot which whistled past Provett's left hand post.
Barnet continued to attack, and on 50 minutes, a chip from Albert Adomah sent the ball just over the bar with Provett stranded.
The deadlock was broken in the 56th minute, when Adam Birchall was put through on goal by the impressive Neal Bishop. Despite a valiant effort to put the Barnet striker off by Parrish, Birchall's toe poke sent the ball past the advancing Provett and into the right hand corner of the net.
Immediately after the goal, Bury manager Alan Knill made his first substitution of the match, bringing Glynn Hurst on for Adam Rooney.
Bury had another chance on 58 minutes, when a quick free kick fell to Futcher on the edge of the box, but his volley was blazed high and wide.
Knill was forced into his second substitution on 61 minutes, when Andy Parrish, who had picked up a knock in the first half which required treatment, limped off to be replaced by Colin Woodthorpe,
Barnet manager Paul Fairclough made his first substitution on 65 minutes when Cliff Akurang replaced Anthony Thomas.
Three minutes later and Barnet were on the attack again, Good work down the left hand side saw a under hit cross fall to Ben Futcher. Unfortunately for the Bury captain, he seemed to get the ball caught under his feet when trying to clear, and Birchall pounced to tuck home his and Barnet's second goal of the day.
Knill made his final substitution on 72 minutes, when Elliott Bennett, who had barely had a kick in the second half, was replaced by Domaine Rouse.
Rouse got his first taste of the action on 80 minutes, as he ran on to a lob from Adams, but he blasted his volley well over the bar with Glynn Hurst waiting in the middle.
Barnet wrapped the game up in the 84th minute, as Birchall spun again in the box. His shot looked to be trickling past the far post after Provett had got a right hand to the ball, but Akurang snuck in to tap the ball home.
The half ended as it began with Barnet on the attack. A speculative drive from Max Porter in the closing moments was the last effort of note in a game which the 226 Bury fans in attendance will want to forget.
Had Bury have took their early opportunities in the first half, the game would have gone the way of the visitors, but after an abject second half performance, nobody could argue about the result.
Bury:Jim Provett, Efetobore Sodje, Ben Futcher, Andy Parrish (Woodthorpe 62), Richie Baker, Brian Barry-Murphy, David Buchanan, Nicky Adams, Elliott Bennett (Rouse 73), Andy Bishop, Adam Rooney (Hurst 57)
On the Bench: Domaine Rouse, Aaron Grundy, Dale Stephens, Colin Woodthorpe, Glynn Hurst
Barnet:Lee Harrison, Joe Devera (Parkes 90), Sagi Burton, Adam Birchall, Nicky Nicolau, Neal Bishop (Carew 86), Michael Leary, Albert Adomah, Jason Puncheon, Max Porter, Anthony Thomas (Akurang 65)
On the Bench:Ashley Carew, Giuliano Grazioli, Jordan Parkes, Phil Carpenter, Cliff Akurang
Attendance: 3,054 (226 Away)
