AS Shakers boss Alan Knill put it - this was a "proper derby" served up in glorious technicolour at Gigg Lane.
The biggest home gate for six years queued around the block to watch a game Rochdale simply had to win to stay in contention for automatic promotion.
As it happened, Hereford's victory over Wrexham made the result largely insignificant, not that you would have noticed by the blood-and-thunder football being played out on the pitch.
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It was a match that had everything. Nicky Adams' 55th opener was as well-fashioned a goal as Bury have created all season and had it not been for the controversial award of a last-minute penalty against Efe Sodje, might well have been the winner.
Adam Le Fondre kept his cool to slot home from the spot - but a last-minute goal was only the tip of the dramatic iceberg.
Two players were sent off in vastly different circumstances. Nathan Stanton received his marching orders from referee Michael Jones in the 28th minute having crudely ended Elliott Bennett's blazing run.
Bury were a goal up when Ben Futcher also saw red. The big defender was nursing a cut above his eye as Dale prepared to take a corner and, if reports from within the dressing room are to be believed, triggered an altercation with Rory McCardle after smearing some of his own blood on to his opponent's shirt so that they both had to temporarily leave the field.
The officials saw his actions as violent, and Futcher was given an early shower.
It was certainly a bizarre way to go - and his exit sparked some ugly scenes in the two dugouts among the coaching staff, some of whom had to be forcibly separated.
Towards the end of the game, Dale striker Rene Howe was lucky to stay on the field when he pushed Sodje into Jim Provett - leaving the Bury keeper momentarily unconscious. He played on for the last 60 seconds of the game, but will remember little about the goalmouth scramble at the other end which saw Dale defenders make no fewer than three goal-line clearances from Bishop and Adams.
"That was a proper game," smiled Knill, who was one of the few people to have kept a calm head on the touchlines. "Obviously I'm disappointed not to have won, but I thought we were the better side and it shows how far we have come because they have been shouting about being the best side in the league.
"I defy anyone who watched that game to say they didn't enjoy it. Hopefully a few of them will be back again next season because that's how we want it all the time."
Bury could have been out of sight by half time had Dale keeper Tommy Lee not been at his very best.
The youngster, on-loan from Macclesfield, denied Bishop with his legs before making an outstanding double save from Richie Baker and Glynn Hurst.
Provett followed suit at the other end, making a point-blank save from Chris Dagnall after pushing away an awkward shot from David Perkins.
The breakthrough arrived 10 minutes after the restart when Bishop turned on David Buchanan's quick throw to play a clever pass to Adams, who lashed home his 13th goal of the season.
Bury were gearing up to celebrate their third victory over Rochdale this season until Sodje and Gary Jones challenged for a waist-high ball on the edge of the area in the final minute. Referee Jones appeared to signal for a Shakers free-kick until his linesman convinced him otherwise, leaving Le Fondre to do the rest.
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