A ROARING second half fightback had the runaway league leaders rocking at Gigg Lane last night, but Bury were forced to settle for a point as they struggled to land the all-important killer punch.

Chesterfield, who finished the game with 10-men after Deane Smalley was shown a red card, could not have taken any more of a battering after the break but they held on to preserve their nine point cushion ahead of the fifth-placed Shakers.

Ryan Lowe's early second half goal wiped out Craig Davies's strike and signalled 45 minutes of fantastic attacking play but, for all their efforts, Alan Knill's men could not find a winner.

Bury were the quickest out of the traps as Lowe fashioned a great early chance when he cut inside from the left and fired just wide.

And it was against the run of play when the Spireites went into the lead in the 19th minute.

It was a bizarre goal when, after a stoppage, the ball was stroked back into the Bury half, only for defender Efe Sodje to slip and allow Craig Davies to nip in and fire home.

Goalkeeper Cameron Belford could have gifted the visitors a second when he spilled Smalley's shot, only to watch with relief as it trickled wide.

The game's flashpoint came seven minutes before half-time when Andy Haworth played a nice ball into the box and Lowe was brought down by Javan Vidal, only for the penalty pleas to fall on deaf ears.

But justice was done a minute after the restart when Vidal played Lowe onside and the predatory striker expertly slotted home his 20th goal of the season.

That was the signal for long periods of sustained Shakers pressure, with Lenny John-Lewis and Michael Jones going close.

But, at the other end, mistakes were still creeping in and Sodje once again gave the ball away to Davies and the striker fired narrowly wide.

The chances kept coming as Bury laid siege to the Chesterfield goal – John-Lewis bringing a fantastic save out of Tommy Lee in the final minute but, try as they might, there was to be no fairytale ending this time.

Next up for Bury is a trip to fellow promotion hopefuls Gillingham on Saturday.

BURY: Belford 6, Picken 7, Lees 7, Sodje 6, Skarz 8, Haworth 6 (Worrall 7, 66), Schumacher 8, Mozika 7, Jones 8, Lowe 8, Bishop 8 (John-Lewis 6, 56). Subs not used: Futcher, Sweeney, Bennett, Harrop, Branagan.

CHESTERFIELD: Lee 7, Vidal 6 (Breckin 6, 65), Holden 6, Ford 7, Robertson 6, Whittaker 7 (Bowery 6, 65), Allott 7, Morris 6, Smalley 7, Davies 8, Djilali 8 (Niven 6, 90). Subs not used: Redmond, Boden, Griffiths, Lowery.

Attendance: 2,517 (318 Chesterfield fans)

Referee: David Foster (Tyne & Wear)