MATTHEW Tipton came to Bury's rescue just as it looked as if they were going plunge deeper into relegation trouble.

He popped up in the nick of time to snatch a point against League Two basement boys Rushden.

It could have been a lot worse as Chris Casper's men found themselves behind when Wayne Hatswell scored a brilliant goal in the 82nd minute.

But former Macclesfield striker Tipton calmly side-footed the ball in the far corner of the net with three minutes left after a timely flick-on from midfielder Dwayne Mattis.

Bury's best early chance came courtesy of skipper Dave Challinor.

The former Stockport County man headed wide at the back post from Brian Barry-Murphy's inswinging corner, before Phil Gulliver nearly scored an own-goal after David Flitcroft's teasing cross caused problems on the edge of the six-yard box.

Shot

Flitcroft fired wide from outside the box as Bury looked for an opener, but the best two chances fell at the end of the half.

A Stokes free-kick found Broughton, but his powerful point-blank shot was well-saved by Dootson.

The keeper then made an even better save to deny Stokes, diving to his right to tip the ball round a post.

Three minutes into the second-half Flitcroft fired a speculative long shot wide and then Tipton nearly scored a spectacular opener, only for his overhead kick to be blocked on the line, with Mattis's follow-up also charged down inside the six-yard box.

Sixteen-year-old second-half substitute Lee Tomlin forced Dootson to make another wonderful save, before Bury were denied what looked like a certain penalty.

However, referee Russell Booth judged that Flitcroft had been felled by Phil Gulliver on the edge of the area.

Brian Barry-Murphy's left-footed curling shot from the resulting free-kick flew inches over the bar.

Hatswell was then on target, but it was Tipton who had the final say.

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