BURY showed they have the fight to beat the drop by holding promotion-chasing Bolton to a goalless draw.

The Shakers held their nerve and showed the spirit which will be needed in the remaining two games if they are to remain in the third tier next year.

Although their fate still remains in the hands of Port Vale, who have a game in hand, Bury moved two points above the bottom four.

Over 1,500 Shakers supporters made the short trip across Greater Manchester to witness their side pick up their first league point at Bolton in 27 years and they celebrated like they had won when the full-time whistle was blown.

Lee Clark was without his entire midfield as the Bury boss made four changes from the defeat to Rochdale.

Kean Bryan, Reece Brown, Callum Styles and Jacob Mellis were all absent from the squad so the Shakers reverted to a 5-3-2 formation.

Right-back Taylor Moore and midfielder Andrew Tutte returned from injury, while Scott Burgess and Tom Pope were also handed a starting spot.

Bury were forced to defend deep on their own 18-yard line for the opening 15 minutes but Antony Kay, Leon Barnett and Cameron Burgess cleared and blocked everything that was thrown in their way.

Paul Caddis anchored the midfield pack well as the derby intensified and tackles began to fly in.

After skipper Kay was given a stern telling off for a late sliding tackle, Barnett was shown the first yellow card of the game for a crunching challenge on Adam Le Fondre.

Spearing followed suit with an equally tasty foul on the former Wigan defender soon after which saw him enter referee Simon Hooper’s notebook.

The Shakers began to grow into the half but lacked quality in the final third. James Vaughan looped a header over the bar before Caddis and Moore both saw efforts miss the target.

Clark’s structure worked wonders as the Whites failed to register a shot on target in the first half.

The first shot on target arrived a minute after the break when Vaughan’s header was tipped over the bar by Mark Howard.

Joe Murphy made his first stop just short of the hour when scooping low to collect Filipe Morais’ effort.

The Irishman made a brilliant punch minutes later to turn away Morais’ cross.

George Miller was introduced on the hour as Clark injected more pace in his front line but Bolton continued to dominate possession without breaking through.

With the Whites unable to penetrate the Shakers defence David Wheater unleashed a thunderous 25-yard drive which Murphy managed to push behind.

Bury hearts were in mouths in the 79th minute when Le Fondre’s shot bounced off the underside of the bar and the Shakers somehow cleared the ball.

And the ex-Rochdale forward could have won it in the last minute but Murphy held his header to earn the Shakers a share of the spoils.