WHAT a difference a goal can make in football.

Looking at the celebrations after Danny Nardiello’s stoppage-time equaliser against Luton last Saturday you could see just how important that goal was to the club.

My hope is that it could prove to be a defining moment in the Shakers' season.

I was doing the commentary for Preston’s game and I must admit I had one eye on my iPad hoping for a goalflash at the JD Stadium.

Considering the form Bury took into the game, I have to say that was more out of hope than belief.

It was going through my mind what the fallout would be like if they suffered a fifth straight defeat and were knocked out of the cup at home.

Thankfully, that didn’t happen.

The funny thing was that when the goalflash did eventually come through it said at first that Rob Lainton had scored.

When I got home and was able to see the replay, you could see just how much pressure the players must have been feeling, and that all came out as Nardiello ran three-quarters of the length of the pitch before being mobbed by his team-mates.

That now releases the pressure valve just a little, and in a funny way it could be a good thing the next two games are away from home.

With their recent form on their travels not being too great, they will not be automatically expected to win at Oxford on Saturday and then at Luton in the FA Cup replay next Tuesday.

But if they can nick a couple of results then I think their season will all of a sudden be well and truly back on track.

Flicker celebrated a year at the helm this week and it is worth noting that out of the 51 games Bury have played under him they have only lost 14, and a good chunk of those have come over the last few weeks.

So clearly, with a little reflection, things are not going too bad.

It is now time to look forward and while it would have been nice to land a plum third-round FA Cup tie, like Accrington possibly hosting Manchester United if they can win at Yeovil in the replay, the carrot is still there.

In many ways, to be in Accrington's position, knowing defeat could see them possibly miss out on a showdown with United, presents its own problems.

But if Bury can win at Luton, while progression in the competition will not be easy at either Cambridge or Mansfield in the next round, they do at least have the chance to dream of a possible big tie in the fourth round.

And to have something potentially to look forward to beyond the busy festive period is never a bad thing.