Two of the League's less fancied teams served up an entertaining match for the crowd that could, and should, have produced more goals.
Both managers have been forced to assemble their squads on shoestring budgets but on the evidence of this match they have managed to find a surprising amount of quality for this level.
The home side got off to a great start when striker Kayode Odejayi, who had not scored in the League since the opening day of last season, sprinted onto a stray back pass from Bury midfielder John Hardiker before drilling a low shot beyond goalkeeper Neil Edwards.
Cheltenham looked in control at this point, but they were pegged back only 10 minutes later when long throw expert Dave Challinor launched the ball over the Cheltenham defence from wide on the right. It fell to the feet of Brian Barry-Murphy inside the area and his touch back to Dwayne Mattis resulted in a goal for the midfielder from 10 yards out.
The rest of the first half was a well-balanced contest with Edwards saving well from a Grant McCann drive and Cheltenham goalkeeper Shane Higgs diving to stop from Barry-Murphy.
John Finnigan, twice, and JJ Melligan also went close for Cheltenham in the lead up to half-time.
After the break Cheltenham continued to create the better chances with McCann flashing a shot across the face of goal from a tight angle and Odejayi shooting wide after a determined solo run.
Substitute Damian Spencer earned a dressing down from Melligan for shooting wide when he was in a better position, but the Robins earned their second goal with 73 minutes gone.
After a spell of prolonged pressure on the Bury goal, a cross from Melligan found its way to debut-boy Craig Armstrong and his stooping header crept inside the far post.
Bury hit back in the closing minutes, trying to salvage something from the game, and they almost grabbed an equaliser when Barry-Murphy beat the offside trap only to see his shot beaten away by Higgs.
The Cheltenham goalkeeper had to be at his best again two minutes from time when he clawed away a free-kick from substitute Jake Sedgemore, but his team held on to claim three points they just about deserved on the balance of play.