JAMES Vaughan continued his rich vein of goalscoring form by bagging a brace to twice drag Bury from behind and earn a hard-fought point against Port Vale.

Tyler Walker and Ryan Taylor had twice put Vale ahead but Vaughan hit back either side of half time with his 15th and 16th goals of the season to level.

Both sides went toe to toe late on with a host of attacking substitutions and chances but in the end each had to settle for a point.

Chris Brass made just the one enforced change from the side that thrashed Peterborough last time out.

Injured full-back Taylor Moore missed out so Tom Soares returned to the starting line-up after coming back from suspension.

Vaughan created himself a chance out of nothing when he nipped in front of keeper Ryan Boot to pinch the ball, but after rounding the stopper the forward lifted his shot over the crossbar.

The former Birmingham and Everton man came close soon after in the exact same fashion but this time Nathan Smith recovered to clear his shot off the line.

The deadlock was broken in the 20th minute when debutant Walker was given too much space and he drove goalwards before firing past Rob Lainton.

It took 19 minutes for Bury to respond when Vaughan converted Hallam Hope’s pinpoint cross from close range.

But three minutes into added time Vale regained their lead. Cameron Burgess fouled Walker in the penalty area and Taylor sent Lainton the wrong way from the spot.

Brass changed to a 4-3-3 formation which gave Jacob Mellis and Scott Burgess more freedom in midfield and they began to take control of the game.

Mellis was the architect in drawing Bury level again when he launched a counter-attack and fed Vaughan who showed the ultimate composure to slide the ball past Boot.

Winger Danny Mayor returned to action for the first time in over a month when he replaced Scott Burgess on the 70th minute.

Brass gambled for the winner late on and introduced substitute George Miller. The 19-year-old used his pace to break through the defence eight minutes from time but his shot was saved by Boot.

Lainton was called into action one last time in the dying minutes and he made a smart stop with his legs to keep out Anton Forrester and earn Bury a well-deserved point.

Bury (4-2-2-2): Rob Lainton 6, Tom Soares 7, Antony Kay 6, Cameron Burgess 5, Greg Leigh 6, Reece Brown 5, Jacob Mellis 7, Scott Burgess 7, Hallam Hope 7, James Vaughan 8, Tom Pope 7.

Subs: Kelvin Etuhu 7 (for Reece Brown 45), Danny Mayor 6 (for Scott Burgess 70), George Miller 6 (for James Vaughan 80). Not used: Williams, Bedeau, Styles, Mackreth.

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