Ronnie Jepson finally had something to smile about after Bury’s 2-2 draw at Exeter on Saturday night.
The caretaker boss watched over a much-improved Shakers side as they took an early lead courtesy of Daniel Nardiello’s strike in the 15th minute only for David Wheeler to level before half-time.
Bury were in front again after Nathan Cameron’s header but they were unable to stop Tom Nichols from securing a point for his team just 13 minutes before full-time.
While Jepson was disappointed that the trip did not end in a win, he was full of praise for his players’ attitude.
“The chances we created – we could have been three or four up at half-time,” he told BBC Radio Manchester.
“We set ourselves up nice and positively to win the game and the players expressed themselves fantastically well. If we’d have scored six or seven today nobody would have had any complaints.
“When the work we’re doing in training comes off, it’s great. When it doesn’t, you look like a mug! The lads played with a real freshness and I loved the way they created chance after chance.”
Bury were denied a third goal when it was decided Tom Soares’ goal late in the second half had not crossed the line.
Jepson, however, downplayed the incident, encouraging his players instead to work on the defensive issues that have dogged Bury throughout the season.
“Maybe before the game I would have taken a point, but you can see the effort the boys are putting in and we’re just getting undone by little things,” he said.
“If we can eradicate those basic defensive errors we will be a decent team,” Jepson added, going on to urge his team to keep their heads held high.
“I have said to the lads that I am not going to knock them. They are creating chances and trying to get on the end of them.
“They are not going in at the moment but they will do because we are doing the right thing.
“Exeter were hanging on at the end. I thought the lads deserved three points. We dust ourselves down, we get a point and we will go again.”
Image courtesy of BFC via YouTube, with thanks.
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