BURY had to settle for a point at Aldershot after squandering a three-goal lead.
Ten minutes of madness was enough for the home side to take a share of the spoils in a match that Bury had totally dominated.
Andy Bishop's brace and Paul Scott's header had put the unbeaten Shakers in the driving seat, but Aldershot were handed a lifeline through substitute Rob Elvins before Scott Davies and Danny Hylton rescued a point in a frenetic finale “It feels like a loss,” said Bury boss Alan Knill. “We were three nil up and really comfortable, and then a lapse in concentration let them back in it.
“We knew that if they got a goal, they would get some momentum and the crowd would be lifted and they did that.
“When you are leading three nil anywhere you think it's game over. We played really well, and the first goal was one of the best you will see anywhere.
“We looked comfortable and then we made some mistakes for their goals. It's disappointing, but we are nine unbeaten and there are 20-odd other teams that want to be where we are. Lots of teams will come here and take nothing.”
Bury were imperious for the first hour of the game, sweeping into a three-goal lead by playing a brand of football that would have the purists drooling.
However, it was the home side who had the first clear-cut chance of the game when an unmarked Anthony Charles headed straight at Wayne Brown from eight yards out.
Bury gradually got into the game, and Andy Morrell hit the bar with a speculative chip on 20 minutes after Aldershot's stand-in goalkeeper Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz had made a complete hash of a clearance.
Just four minutes later, Bury went into the lead when Bishop finished a stunning move. Michael Jones showed immense vision and skill to find Elliott Bennett on the opposite flank, and the on-loan ace squared for Bishop to finish with aplomb.
Bury doubled their lead five minutes later when an unmarked Scott headed home Brian Barry-Murphy's wicked corner at the far post.
The warning signs were still there for Bury, however, when on the stroke of half-time Marvin Morgan found himself in acres of space, only to steer his free header into the grateful arms of Brown.
Knill's side looked home and dry on 57 minutes when Bishop drilled home a free-kick on the edge of the box. With everyone in the ground waiting for Barry-Murphy to try his luck, Elliott Bennett teed-up up Bishop to rifle home his sixth goal of the season.
Davies had a free-kick tipped over on 59 minutes before Elvins started the Aldershot fightback when he planted a free header past Brown.
The home side were visibly lifted, and they got their second when Davies slotted home from the penalty spot after Scott had been penalised for a handball.
The comeback was complete when Hylton raced through on goal and slotted past Brown to send the home supporters wild.
There was still time for Bury to win it when Bennett headed straight at Jaimez-Ruiz from Bishop's cross, but honours ended even.
To throw away a three-goal lead is a hard pill to swallow, but Bury can take solace from picking up a valuable point on the road by playing some, at times, scintillating football.
ALDERSHOT: Jaimez-Ruiz 4, Blackburn 6, Charles 5, Soares 6, Chalmers 6, Morgan 6 (Elvins 7, 65), Howell 7, Hylton 7, Hudson 6, Harding 6, Davies 7. Subs not used: Grant, Mendes, Donnelly.
BURY: Brown 7, Scott 6, Buchanan 6, Sodje 6, Futcher 7, Bennett 7, Dawson 7, Barry-Murphy 7, Jones 7 (Baker 86), Morrell 8 (Hurst 88), Bishop 8. Subs not used: Belford, Cresswell, Racchi.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here