RELIEVED Bury head coach Chris Brass was happy with a point in the end after Tom Soares popped up in stoppage time to snatch a well-deserved equaliser in a six-goal thriller at home to Walsall on Saturday.

But he has challenged his squad to be more ruthless after they stormed into a 2-0, only to throw it away in nine minutes of “madness” in the second half.

James Vaughan opened the scoring for Bury with his 17th goal of the season – his seventh in his last three matches.

And Reece Brown doubled their advantage before the break with his first career goal – a 35-yard free-kick that caught Saddlers keeper Neil Etheridge out of position.

But the hosts hit the panic button after Erhun Oztumer pulled a goal back with a free-kick in the 71st minute and a two-goal burst in three minutes from on-loan wing-back Jason McCarthy flipped the game on its head.

It looked like the Shakers would fall to a damaging defeat before Brown’s cross found Soares unmarked in the box and his deft finish gave Brass’s men a share of the spoils.

The late equaliser maintained Bury’s run of three matches unbeaten in League One, and while they remain fourth-bottom, in the relegation zone, the head coach was philosophical about the result.

“In the cold light of day we are quite happy we have got something at the end of it,” Brass admitted.

“I thought we were very, very comfortable until a little bit of madness.

“That’s the bit that we’re getting better at, slowly but surely.

“We have got to make sure we go on to win games and see games through.

“It was a very good effort, it’s just in the end it’s not that you’re tired, it’s in your head.

“What’s pleasing is that we’ve kept this run going. Walsall are a form team, but while people may look at it and say a draw against Walsall is not bad, my view is different.

“On reflection, I look at how the 90 minutes have panned out. I think we have done more than enough to make sure we won the game, but they have done well to come back into it.”

Brown, who spent last season at Gigg Lane, went on to earn a deal at Sheffield United but returned to Bury three weeks ago after being released by the Blades.

The 25-year-old has only amassed 108 league appearances in a seven-year career at 11 different clubs.

But he did his chances of putting down roots at Bury no harm with a goal and an assist on Saturday.

That followed Brass’s decision to hand the utility player free-kick duty, although the Bury boss admitted debut strike had a hint of good fortune about it.

“He hasn’t meant it,” Brass said of Brown’s strike. “It’s something we looked at, putting the ball in a different area.

“He has hit it into an area with a bit of pace and he has scored.

“You take it and fair play to him for putting it in there.”

During Bury’s dominant period, Tom Pope and Hallam Hope both had chances but were denied by Saddlers stopper Etheridge.

The pick of the saves was a fantastic double stop to keep out Pope midway through the first half – and Brass is delighted his front three are continuing to produce the goods on a regular basis.

Brass said: “Popey’s assists are probably right up there if you look at it. Their keeper has pulled off a fantastic double save from him so he is still getting in the areas.

“Vaughany is in fine form, he really is and I’m sure he’ll score more.

“Ultimately, if you’re not scoring goals then you’re not winning games of football. We are, but what’s key is keeping clean sheets. That’s something that we have got to get right.”

Next up for Bury is a trip to relegation-rivals Shrewsbury Town this weekend.

The Shrews currently sit two points and two places above the Shakers in the League One table, but a victory for Brass’ men will see them leapfrog their opponents and climb out of the drop zone in the process.

“They’re fighting and we are,” Brass said ahead of the trip to New Meadow.

“I’m glad we have gone three unbeaten and now we have got to keep that momentum going.

“If it would have finished 3-2 I wouldn’t be sat here as optimistic as I am and there would have been a few more flares going off. But we showed character and kept on going.”

Match ratings

Bury (4-3-3): Lainton 6; Moore 7, Kay 5, C. Burgess 5, Leigh 5; Brown 7, Mellis 7 (Pennant 82, 6), Soares 7; Hope 7 (Lowe 82, 6), Vaughan 7, Pope 8 (G. Miller 75, 6). Not used: Williams, Barnett, Etuhu, S. Burgess.

Walsall (3-5-1-1): Etheridge; O’Connor, Preston, O’Connell; McCarthy, Cuvelier (Jackson 72), Chambers, Osbourne, Edwards; Oztumer (Dobson 87); Bakayoko (Makris 90). Not used: MacGillvray, Laird, Morris, Roberts.

Referee: Carl Boyeson (East Yorkshire).