BURY flop Chris Eagles came back to haunt his former club with a match-winning goal for relegation rivals Port Vale that forced the League One survival battle into the final day.

Anything less than a win for fourth-bottom Vale at Walsall would have left them unable to catch Bury in Sunday's final round of fixtures.

It looked as if the Potteries side would go down with a whimper as the match went into the final five minutes goalless.

But up stepped ex-Wanderers and Burnley midfielder Eagles to rifle the ball into the top corner and Vale held out for a win that closed the gap to 19th-placed Bury to two points.

The Shakers have a far superior goal difference to their relegation rivals, meaning a point at Southend on Sunday would be enough for them to secure another season in League One.

If Lee Clark's men lose on the Essex coast then both Port Vale and Gillingham, who are fifth-bottom, would have to win, at Fleetwood Town and Northampton Town, respectively, for Bury to go down.