BURY manager Kevin Blackwell was given plenty of ammunition for the training ground after the initial uprising of the club’s promised revolution was beaten back by a couple of Chesterfield counter-attacks.

New chairman Stewart Day, who helped save the club from a winding-up order in the summer, was hailed as its saviour before kick-off by the 3,200 appreciative Bury fans inside Gigg Lane.

And a Shakers side that included just four players from the squad that was relegated from League One last season started sharply, but were left to rue a handful of missed chances in the opening 45 minutes.

Second-half goals from Jay O’Shea and Marc Richards spoiled the celebratory atmosphere and gave Blackwell a much-needed insight into his new players.

“I learned a lot when they scored,” said the 53-year-old Bury boss.

“We lost our shape slightly. We went and chased the game and left ourselves exposed.

“The honesty of the lads is that they want to go and win the game, but don’t be naive.”

Vice captain Tom Soares, one of those left over from the relegation campaign, was the biggest culprit in the attacking third.

The former Stoke winger did the hard part in controlling Shaun Harrad’s driven pull-back, but fired high and wide from five yards.

Andy Procter also failed to connect with a Craig Jones free-kick when free in the box, while Chesterfield keeper Tommy Lee did well to turn away a Nathan Cameron volley on the stroke of half-time.

But Chesterfield’s attackers were continually given too much time and space and they finally made Bury pay on 50 minutes.

O’Shea left captain Shakers Gareth Roberts for dead in the box after checking back on to his left foot before curling a shot into the bottom corner.

And as Bury pressed for an equaliser, Richards finished off a sweeping break in the 66th minute, beating former Wanderers stopper Rob Lainton with a low shot at his near post.

The Spireites could and should have made it three in injury time but Eoin Doyle's lazy shot was blocked on the line by Richard Hinds.

“I’m not going to know about the dynamics of the team until these things happen because I don’t know enough about the players, to be honest,” said a disappointed yet confident Blackwell.

“Every week now for the next six to 10 weeks is a learning curve, and if we get that right we are going to have a real good season.”

BURY: Lainton 5; Beeley 6, Hinds 6, Cameron 6, Gareth Roberts 6; Jones 8, Procter 6, Holden 6 (Mayor 75), Soares 6; Grimes 6 (Forrester 6 60), Harrad 7 (Jackson 6 68).

Subs: Rooney, Reindorf, Lockwood, Charles-Cook.

CHESTERFIELD: Lee; Talbot, Hird, Edwards, Humphreys; O’Shea (Darikwa 83), Morsy, Togwell (Smith 62), Ryan, Gary Roberts; Richards (Doyle 73). Subs: Devitt, Chapman, Gnaduillet, Brown.

Goals: Bury 0 Chesterfield 2 (O’Shea 50, Richards 66).

Yellow cards: Bury – Procter 47, Beeley 78. Chesterfield – O’Shea 34.

Referee: Mark Haywood.

Attendance: 4,337 (1,179 visiting).

Star man: Craig Jones – The fans’ favourite started the new season where he left off in the last one, whipping in cross after cross from the right wing. Almost created a goal with a strong run in the opening minutes. He never stopped running and if Andy Procter had made a better connection to his free-kick, it could have been the opening goal midway through the first half. If that chance had gone in, it could, and probably would, have been a different story.