MAYNARD QUALITY RESCUES SHAKERS
BURY boss Ryan Lowe saluted two-goal hero Nicky Maynard after the talented striker scored deep in stoppage time to earn a point against Mansfield.
BURY: Murphy 5, Aimson 6, Thompson 7, Stokes 6 (Barjonas 82, 6), Nicky Adams 7, O’Shea 6, Danns 6 (Styles 75, 6), McFadzean 7, Mayor 6, Dagnall 6 (Telford 69, 6), Maynard 9. Subs not used: Miller, Dawson, Hudson, Cooney.
MANSFIELD TOWN: Olejnik 6, Preston 7, Pearce 6, Sweeney 6, Hamilton 6, Bishop 6, Khan 8 (Mellis 67, 6), Elsnik 7, Benning 6, Walker 6 (Atkinson 61, 6), Rose 8 (Butcher 83, 6). Subs not used: Logan, Sterling-James, Gibbens, Graham.
Maynard, signed a fortnight ago from Aberdeen, grabbed his brace on a dream home debut as Bury roared back to seal a point they probably deserved.
Lowe said: “Nicky’s quality – his movement, his clever play and his finishing – is there to be seen.
“I think a point is the least we deserved.
“I said to the lads, ‘We’re nearly there, but I don’t want to be there yet.
“I want to be there at the end of the season.”
Mansfield scored a bizarre opening goal after 10 minutes. Danny Rose tapped home into an unguarded net after the ball slipped out of goalkeeper Joe Murphy’s grasp as he prepared to make a regulation clearance.
Murphy atoned for his clanger minutes later when he saved superbly from Otis Khan.
Rose should have made it two after half-an-hour, but he fired wide from 15 yards.
After the restart, Khan went on a terrific run before curling an exquisite shot inches wide.
Bury then equalised with a spectacular goal in the 55th minute.
Nicky Adams headed the ball hopefully towards Maynard eight yards from goal, and the Bury striker swivelled superbly before lashing home with a breath-taking scissor kick.
The Stags regained the lead after 73 minutes when defender Matt Preston powerfully headed home Timi Elsnik’s corner-kick.
Maynard slid home his second from 15 yards, five minutes into seven of added time at the end.
Mansfield boss Dave Flitcroft was disappointed after his return to Gigg Lane ended with his side conceding so late.
Flitcroft managed Bury for three years between 2013 and 2016.
He said: “I don’t know where the referee got seven minutes added time from.
“Even the home fans were laughing when the fourth official raised the board.
“That gave Bury and their players a big lift.
“The stadium went up and then they go and get a goal after five minutes.
“Having said that, we should have defended that second goal much better.
“They threw the kitchen sink at us towards the end as you would expect, but we should have managed those final stages much better.”
Flitcroft also commented on the bizarre opening goal from Rose.
“Danny just took advantage in the best way possible,” he said. “He was alert to the error and credit to him.”