BURY finished a season to be ashamed of by showing a little bit of pride at the end.

Relegated weeks ago after a shocking eight months, the Shakers deserve a little bit of credit for not throwing the towel in as they responded with four matches without defeat.

It was too little too late, of course, as the spectre of League Two football hanging over the club since relegation was confirmed was greater than any number of wins and points they might muster after it.

Three away draws against Doncaster Rovers, Shrewsbury Town and AFC Wimbledon, and a home victory over Portsmouth was at least something for the long-suffering supporters to feel a bit better about after being subjected to a catalogue of failure by their underperforming team over the campaign.

It was not looking too good at half time at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, and caretaker manager Ryan Lowe believes the comeback draw came from him telling his players to think of their futures during a “half-time rollicking”.

The Shakers’ three-year stay in League One looked like it was ending with a whimper as Dean Parrett and Kwesi Appiah put the south London side 2-0 up within 34 minutes.

After goals from captain Neil Danns and George Miller levelled the tie with five minutes to go, Lowe’s team could have claimed only their second away league win of the season with their chances in stoppage time.

“We had to give them a rollicking at half time, but it was a constructive one,” admitted Lowe.

“I told them it’s the last game of the season and plenty of people would be watching them: other managers, other clubs, family and fans.

“I told them not to go out on a whimper. They showed passion and pride in the second half.

“It was a game of two halves.

“We were a bit sloppy in the first half – we looked a bit tired and jaded, we couldn’t get the ball down.

“Fair play to them, they got in our faces a little bit.

“I thought we were outstanding in the second half – all the young lads especially.

“To come back and almost win it was a big plus for us.”

Dons midfielder Parrett put the hosts in front with a superb half-volley after Barry Fuller’s long throw fell to him fortuitously at the back post.

“Appiah doubled their advantage, firing past the luckless Joe Murphy after hesitation in the Shakers’ back line.

Lowe added: “We’re having to work hard for our chances and we concede sloppy goals; that’s been the story of our season.

“Their goals were individual errors – the first one was from a long throw, Jay O’Shea has sort of missed it and others haven’t come across.

“The second one is what it is.”

The game was soured by injuries to Dons’ highly-rated leading scorer Lyle Taylor and 18-year-old Bury defender Ryan Cooney, who were both stretchered off after lengthy delays. Lowe confirmed post-match Cooney had fractured his cheekbone.

Captain Danns brought Bury back into the game 66 minutes, curling into the top corner after Dons goalkeeper George Long had come off his line to parry O’Shea’s deep cross.

It was just reward for a much-improved display from the visitors after the break.

Zeli Ismail had earlier threatened with a shot that was crucially deflected wide by Fuller, and the Bury midfielder should have also done better than shoot straight at Long from 12 yards out.

Substitute Andy Barcham struck the bar with a 20-yard volley for Neal Ardley’s Dons 11 minutes from time, before the Shakers earned a final-day point courtesy of Miller, who met O’Shea’s delivery to head home late on.

And they almost completed the most unlikely of comeback victories in the 89th minute, as Miller met Ismail’s drilled cross into the box, only to fire over.