BURY continued their impressive form by holding promotion-chasing Fleetwood to a goalless draw at Gigg Lane.

The Shakers more than matched their third-placed opponents and could have snatched it at the death but Greg Leigh was denied by a fine stop by Alex Cairns.

In front of a bumper crowd of 4,174, Lee Clark’s men kept their fourth clean sheet in a row to remain four points above the League One drop zone.

The draw means the Shakers have lost only once in eight games under Clark, who made three changes from the side that held Millwall to a goalless draw last weekend.

Defender Cameron Burgess was called up to the Australian Under-23s squad this week while Andrew Tutte was sidelined through injury.

Ryan Lowe dropped to the bench as Kean Bryan, Callum Styles and Tom Pope came in.

The game started with a high intensity as both sides looked to gain an early advantage.

Fleetwood defender Ashley Eastham headed over from a corner before James Vaughan flashed an over-head kick wide at the other end.

A Paul Caddis free-kick opened up a chance for Bryan at the back-post midway through the half but the defender, who was starting his first match in five months, volleyed wide.

In the 36th minute Eastham gifted Vaughan a glorious chance with a misplaced pass but the forward was thwarted by Cairns.

From the resulting corner Caddis lifted a volley over the bar after being picked out by Jacob Mellis.

The Shakers were given a scare on the stroke of half time when Kyle Dempsey shot on the turn but fortunately his effort came back off the inside of the post.

After the break Vaughan headed over from substitute Jermaine Pennant’s deep free kick but then the forward was withdrawn, as George Miller entered the frame.

Forward Hallam Hope was also brought on in place of Pope as Clark looked to inject some pace into his side.

But it was the visitors who looked the more threatening as former Bury loanee and Cod Army defender Cian Bolger headed over before Ashley Hunter blasted wide after cutting in from the right.

As the clock ticked towards 90 Bury rallied as Leigh tested Cairns and Leon Barnett lifted a shot over from the edge of the box.

In the end both sides were forced to settle for a draw, which ensured Bury remain 17th in League One, four points above the drop zone.