If you're going to celebrate your 500th match in the Football League then do it in style. Cheltenham Town destroyed ten men Bury this afternoon to move a step closer to safety.

It was 1-0 at the break after Bury's Wayne Brown was sent off for taking out Richards. The striker finished from the spot but all the action happened in the second half. Goals from Thornhill and Low put the Robins 3-0 up but Bury staged a comeback. A questionable penalty gave Bury a way back in and they threatened an unlikely point when Lowe pounced on a Ridley mistake.

However the Robins had other ideas with Barry Hayles and Josh Low finishing the Shakers off with elite finishes. It was another crazy game but a magnificent three points for Cheltenham.

Mark Yates made three changes to his team that started out and defeated Crewe Alexandra on Monday with Alsop, Ridley and Elito all back in the frame. Julian Alsop replaced Barry Hayles at the spearhead of the attack and Lee Ridley regained his place at left back at the cost of Danny Andrew who is now seated on the bench. Medy Elito recovered from his calf injury in time and slips back into his familar left wing role.

1: Justin Richards must be confident from Monday's brace of goals. He had a decent long effort fly just over the crossbar following some good target man play from Alsop.

2: Cheltenham have certainly started with an attacking mentality today. Matt Thornhill had a decent low drive saved but the Robins have started extremely well.

3 DISALLOWED GOAL: Good ball into the danger area from Bury's David Worrall and Andy Bishop puts the ball into the back of the net but the linesman had already flagged for offside.

6: Almost 1-0 for Cheltenham. Thornhill took possession after Alsop won the ball in the air and raced into the box but his strike went wide of the far post.

14: Dawson almost made Cheltenham pay for a spot of sloppy defending in their own area but Brown produced a great save to deny him. There was a shout for a Bury penalty in the build up when Townsend appeared to handle the Bury striker but it would have been soft decision.

25: Alsop is having a good game again. It's going to be an interesting battle between him and Sodje. There has already been a few nibbles between the two.

26: Bury almost gifted Cheltenham a goal with an awful backpass into their own area. It totally elluded Wayne Brown and Josh Low was charging in at the back post. Bury's Buchanan just got there in time to deny Low though and the ball deflected wide for a corner.

30: Fantastic midfield play from Thornhill and Elito allowed Pook to push the ball out to Justin Richards. He had a good run to put himself in position for a shot but the finish was poor and didn't test Brown at all.

34 RED CARD & SUBSTITUTION: Penalty for Cheltenham and Wayne Brown has been sent off. Medy Elito took advantage of a slip up in the Bury midfeld. His eventual through ball found Richards who dragged it round Brown only to be taken down by the goalkeeper. Wayne Brown was sent off and Richards will step up for the penalty. Belford was subbed on for Poole.

37 GOAL: Justin Richards eventually stepped up for the penalty and he slammed it into the back of the net with confidence. No chance for Bury's replacement goalkeeper.

40: Brian Barry-Murphy had an opportunity to get Bury back into the game with a freekick just outside of Cheltenham's area but it was a hideous penalty and he saw his effort fly high over the bar.

43: Matt Thornhill is having such a good game. He almost put Josh Low through on goal with a delightful chip over the Bury defence but the winger couldn't make the most out of the opportunity.

Half Time: Robins 1-0 Bury

46 GOAL: What a start to the second half for Cheltenham Town and what superb play from Josh Low. A great individual run down the right wing from Josh Low ended in a pin point cross to Thornhill in the area. The Nottingham Forest loanee was calm under pressure and slotted the ball into the back of the net.

51 GOAL: Josh Low is having an immense game but we're not sure he meant that! Alsop held the ball up well and set Low loose down the right wing again. He eventually chipped the ball in and it floated over the Bury keeper and into the back of the net. Was it a shot or a cross? From his celebration I think the latter but who cares?

53 SUBSTITUTION: Matt Thornhill was subbed off for Gallinagh. Outstanding game for Thornhill today.

55: Another cross into the danger area from Dave Bird but Richards saw it late and the headed effort went high over the stand.

62 SUBSTITUTION: Andy Morrell came on to replace David Worrall.

67: Even Lee Ridley is having a run down the wings. The bury defence don't look comfortable with the Cheltenham atatck at all.

68 DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION: Barry Hayles was substituted on for Julian Alsop. Bury also brought Carlton on to replace the very quiet Andy Bishop.

80 GOAL: It didn't look like a penalty but the referee has given it. Ridley was adjudged to have brought Morrell down. Ryan Lowe stepped up and converted the penalty. Mark Yates was sent to the stands after complaining about the decision but from here it seemed he had every right to be aggrieved about the penalty.

80 SUBSTITUTION: Michael Townsend was subbed off for Ashley Eastham.

82 GOAL: Big mistake from Ridley who have the ball away in the danger area and allowed Lowe in to score the goal. Bury back in it.

83 GOAL: Scrap what I just said because Cheltenham are back on top. A long ball down the pitch found Low who glided his way through the bury defence with ease, rounded the keeper and bagged his second of the afternoon with a neat finish. What a game!

85 GOAL: Cheltenham have won the game. Josh Low (again!)  drove his way through the Bury defence and had the chance of a hat trick but couldn't find his feet. He laid the ball off to Barry Hayles instead and the veteran striker scored with a decent finish to make it 5-2 to Cheltenham.

90+1: It was almost six for Cheltenham then. Good hold up play from Hayles allowed Richards to lay the ball off to Pook on the left. The central midfielder forced his way towards goal but dragged his shot across goal.

90+3: Justin Richards had the chance to score his second but he couldn't latch onto Bird's cross and that's a big opportunity missed.

Full Time: Robins 5-2 Bury

Cheltenham Town (4-4-2): S.P. Brown (GK); Bird, Duff, Townsend (C), Ridley; Low, Pook, Thornhill (Gallinagh 53), Elito; Alsop (Hayles 68), Richards

Subs not used: Puddy (GK), Andrew, Eastham, Hutton, Almond

Bury (4-4-2): Brown (GK); Scott, Cresswell, Sodje, Buchanan; Worrall (Morrell 62), Barry-Murphy, Dawson (C), Poole (Belford 34); Lowe, Bishop (Carlton 68)

Subs not used: Futcher, Hewson, Newey, Parker

Referee: P.T. Crossley

Attendance: 3,071 (300 from Bury)

Robins Star Man: Josh Low - There was no other contender for man of the match because he was magical today. Two goals, two assists and a magnificent performance.

James Brown from the Abbey Business Stadium