BURY Amateurs came from 3-0 down to secure a point against the champions in this thrilling tussle at Drinkwater Park on Saturday.

Barely five minutes had passed when the visitors went ahead, Little Lever's Wells outpacing a slow Bury defence to fire home.

Bury, to their credit, were playing some good football and only a great save by the Little Lever keeper stopped Bruce from equalising.

The following move sent in Bury's Horsefield, and the striker looked odds on to score but his normal cool finishing let him down as his shot went past the post.

It only seemed a matter of time before Bury would score but a dubious off-side allowed Lever to double their lead - Craig Bingham firing home.

Worst was to come for the Amateurs as the visitors notched a third just on half time, this time a result of woeful defending by the Bury defence. Wells was on hand to score his second of the day.

Half-time gave Bury a chance to lick their wounds and the players an opportunity to try regain some credibility.

Hickford reduced the arrears five minutes into the second half when he pounced on a mix-up in the Lever defence to score.

Hickford was causing all sorts of problems, and he managed to set up Tino Blake for his side's second goal.

Bury were now in full flow and Lever looked rattled as the tackles became ferocious. One such tackle on Kenney gave the Bury winger a chance of sailing in a free kick that was volleyed in by Bruce to complete the comeback.

It was a good weekend for the rest of the Bury Amateurs senior sides, as the reserves beat Spotland 4-1, the thirds demolished Thornleigh 9-0 and the fourths beat Spotland A' 5-2.

This weekend Bury travel to Burnley to take on Prairie Utd.