Leyton Orient 1 Bury 1 by Phil Thorp: BATTLING Bury showed plenty of character to fight back for a point after a poor first half display.

Graham Barrow's men weren't at the races in the first 45 minutes but demonstrated their resiliance in a typical 'game of two halves'.

The home side took the lead as early as the eighth minute and once again the Shakers fell behind to a goal that was self-inflicted. This time it was skipper Dave Challinor, who was the guilty party, allowing former Wycombe man Michael Simpson to block his clearance and provide Lee Steele with the chance to knock the ball past Garner.

The goal gave the home side a visible lift and they might have doubled their account three minutes later when, following more good work by Simpson, Andy Scott side-footed well wide when well placed.

All Bury's best play revolved around Dave Nugent. The 19-year-old brought a smart save out of Lee Harrison with a 30-yard piledriver midway through the half, then in the dying minutes dispossessed Justin Miller on the right wing and held onto the ball long enough for Dave Flitcroft to race into the box, but he clipped his first time effort over the bar.

Whatever Barrow said to his charges in the interval certainly worked as Bury looked a different team in the second half.

Ten minutes into the half the Bury boss brought on Chris Porter for Flitcroft and the decision to go with three strikers paid off. With Jon Newby causing mayhem on the right wing, and Tom Kennedy repeatedly getting behind the defence on the left, the home side were looking ragged.

It was a left wing raid that brought about the 74th minute equaliser when Nugent sent Kennedy haring to the dead ball line. His drilled cross was met by Porter and Miller at the same time and, although the ball appeared to deflect past Harrison off the Orient defender, Porter claimed the goal.

Three minutes earlier Mattis had a gilt-edged chance to get the Shakers back into the game when Nugent set up a chance on a plate for the midfielder but inexplicably the former Huddersfield man sidefooted over the bar from the penalty spot.

With eleven minutes remaining Bury almost got the winner their play deserved when the home defence failed to deal with a Brian Barry-Murphy cross and Nugent drilled a low shot against the post. A minute later Newby cleverly dummied a Porter cross from the right and only a timely block by Gabi Zakuani foiled Nugent at the near post.

But there was almost a sting in the tail for the Gigg Lane men and they were indebted to Garner who saved the day with a couple fine saves in the dying minutes. Firstly he acrobatically pushed over a point-blank header from debutant

Stuart Wardley then bravely blocked another Orient substitute Jabo Ibehre when the big striker looked set to bag a winner for his side.

ButA late goal for the home side would have been rough justice for the

Shakers who deserved at least a point.

FORMGUIDE

Bury: Garner 7, Swailes 7, Challinor 6, Woodthorpe 7, Unsworth 7, Flitcroft 6 (Porter 54, 7), Mattis 7, Barry-Murphy 7, Kennedy 7, Newby 7 (Whaley 85), Nugent 8 (Kazim-Richards 85). Subs not used: Barrass and Dunfield.

Referee: Paul Robinson (Hull)

Attendance: 3,398