Bury 2 Darlington 2 by Chris Hall

BURY may have climbed bigger mountains off the field but their sensational last-gasp fightback had all the drama of a sprint race up Ben Nevis.

Last week's miserable defeat to Southend signalled a slide down the table and 88 minutes into another frustrating affair their season was hurtling downhill with only one ski.

Despite dominating large periods of the game with an exciting new attacking formation, Shakers found themselves two goals down to another kick and chase outfit whose ambitions surely cannot rise above mid table mediocrity.

Another home defeat would have dropped Andy Preece's charges to the depths of the basement division and just six places above the Division Three trapdoor. Instead David Nugent and Michael Nelson's thrilling late show ensured they clung on to their mid-table base camp, just four points off launching an assault on the play-off places, and ensured they head into a string of tough away matches in buoyant mood.

After their ineffective showing against the Shrimpers, Preece was simply unable to resist giving Gareth Seddon (seven goals in six reserve games) a chance to join Jon Newby and Pawel Abbott up front. And the goal chase speeded up in the second half as David Nugent and Preece himself were added to the already substantial firepower.

They began brightly, with Abbott, Terry Dunfield and Chris Billy all peppering the Darlington goal in a vibrant opening spell.But their defensive ghosts returned to haunt them after 14 minutes when Darlington full back Ryan Valentine was allowed to roam unmarked into the Bury box to latch on to Barry Conlon's through ball and slot home comfortably for his first senior goal.

The strike knocked much of the wind from Shakers' sails and they were forced to drop anchor for the rest of a lifeless first half.The introduction of 17-year-old striking prodigy Nugent sparked new life in their forward line but they found Quakers keeper Andrew Collett in outstanding form to deny dangerous strikes from Abbott, Newby and Seddon. And when Ian Clark coolly placed his spot kick past Glyn Garner after the Bury keeper had up-ended Mark Ford in the box, all hopes of a comeback were seemingly lost.

That was until Nugent rose beautifully to head Jamie Stuart's perfect cross powerfully into the top corner with just two minutes of normal time remaining.

What followed was pure theatre, as the flood gates opened and the Darlington defence buckled under the strain until, with seconds of injury time remaining, Newby's cross from the left was prodded across the goalmouth by Preece for Geordie centre half Nelson to prod home at the far post to the dismay of his north eastern counterparts and the jubilation of his adopted home town.

Match Facts: Garner 7, Barrass 7, Stuart 7, Swailes 7, Nelson 8, Unsworth 6, Billy 8, Dunfield 7, Seddon 7, Abbott 8, Newby 8. Subs: Preece (for Seddon 76) 7, Nugent (Unsworth 45). Not used: Woodthorpe, George, Woodthorpe.

Attendance: 2,944

Referee: F Stretton