BRISTOL ROVERS...2 BURY...2: THOSE Shakers fans lucky enough to have witnessed this encounter could well have seen the game AND goal of the season just two fixtures into the new campaign.

If ever a match was said to have everything this one had.

It was a high-octane, end-to-end encounter that contained great goals, great saves, controversial decisions, penalties, a sending off and much, much more.

At the end of it the points were shared - probably deservedly so - although if not for a woeful penalty decision just before half time the Shakers might have travelled up the M6 with all three points.

As it turned out they didn't but they showed more than enough character and fighting spirit to indicate they could be in for a successful season in League Two.

Any team that can pick up a point at the home of one of the division's promotion favourites, especially after having a man sent off and two penalties awarded against them, must be doing something right.

Encouragingly, there were clear echoes of the double promotion side of Stan Ternent's 'pinch me' years about this gritty display against a physical and direct Rovers team that have brought in some quality performers over the summer.

But Bury boss Graham Barrow has acquired a number of excellent players himself in the close season and two of them - Dwayne Mattis and Brian Barry-Murphy - were on target on the night.

The Shakers had the best start possible when they went a goal ahead after only seven minutes when the rangy Mattis got on the end of a precision corner kick from Barry-Murphy to head powerfully home.

That goal stunned the home fans in the 8,705 crowd who had turned up expecting a repeat of their side's opening day 2-0 victory at Mansfield on Saturday.

Rovers gradually began to pose problems of their own for the Shakers back line and in the strong and powerful Junior Agogo they had the only man who seriously threatened Shakers' keeper Glyn Garner for the man-of-the-match accolade.

He scored both their goals on Saturday and but for some superb saves from Garner, and resolute and at times desperate defending, he would have added to his tally.

The Shakers shot-stopper first pulled off a fine save from the former Barnet man after only 11 minutes then performed more heroics four minutes later to acrobatically push over a goalbound effort from co-striker Jamie Forrester.

But those chances apart it was the Shakers who played the more incisive football in the first period with the home side content to launch long balls up to their front two.

Graeme Jones and Mattis both had efforts saved by Kevin Miller in the Rovers goal as it seemed likely the Gigg Lane men would add to their lead, but fate was to deal them a cruel blow in the shape of rookie referee Jarnail Singh.

A free-kick into the box by former Millwall FA Cup finalist Robbie Ryan looked to have come to nothing when, amazingly, Mr Singh pointed to the penalty spot.

Agreed, Agogo had ended on the floor, but none of his team-mates had even appealed for a foul.

Nevertheless, Mr Singh adjudged him to have been impeded by an unknown Bury defender and Forrester stepped up to convert the subsequent spot-kick.

It was rough justice on the Shakers who would have been good value for a half time advantage yet worse was to come on the re-start.

Two minutes into the second period slack marking from a corner kick allowed John Anderson to force the ball home to give the Pirates an unlikely lead, then minutes later they were awarded another penalty when the defence was again stretched and the beleaguered Woodthorpe brought down the mercurial Forrester in the box.

The veteran defender was booked for his misdemeanour but was immediately indebted to Garner who read Forrester's second penalty superbly, diving full length to his right to stop.

Garner's heroics were to prove a turning point in the game as the Shakers dragged themselves up by their bootstraps and had a real go.

Simon Whaley replaced Matt Barrass and Chris Porter came on for Jones as they rang the changes in a bid to get themselves on level terms.

But all hopes of that seemed lost in the 63rd minute when Woodthorpe hauled down Agogo when the quicksilver striker was set to race through on goal and the referee had no hesitation in sending him off.

But if Rovers thought the Shakers would roll over and die they had another think coming as they levelled matters with what has to be an early candidate for goal of the season.

After some neat interplay at the edge of the Bristol box, Porter fed the ball into the path of Barry-Murphy 25 yards out.

The classy Irishman looked up and unleashed a superb left-foot effort that fizzed into the top corner of Miller's goal, giving him no chance.

Barry-Murphy's joy was tempered somewhat when he received a booking for celebrating his wondergoal with the hundred or so Bury fans who had made the trip to the west country.

Porter himself came closest to grabbing a winner for the Shakers with a 71st minute effort that hit the side-netting.

The game continued to ebb and flow with amazing ferocity and the home side continued to get the ball forward by their tried and trusted route one method.

However, Bury's defence coped well with whatever they could muster and were proved more dangerous themselves with Whaley a clear threat down the right.

But the jeers and discontent from the home crowd at the final whistle will have been music to the ears of Barrow and his team who will now face another tough away trip at Grimsby on Saturday.