LATICS battled back from two goals down to take a point at rain-soaked Gigg Lane after an opening to forget for the away side – backed by more than 2,700 raucous supporters.

But goals from Jay O’Shea and Neil Danns were cancelled out by Craig Davies and Ben Pringle as the dominant hosts failed to kill off below-par Athletic.

Richie Wellens kept faith with the same 18 named at Scunthorpe last week, with Eoin Doyle again on the bench as he looks to get back to fitness.

Bury were out of the traps much quicker than their opponents and put Latics under the cosh from the word go with Johny Placide saving two efforts in quick succession, first from Jay O’Shea, then Harry Bunn.

There was brief respite for Athletic when a defensive mistake gifted the ball to Jack Byrne who slipped it to Duckens Nazon but the striker dragged his shot wide after showing neat trickery to jink past two defenders.

But the early onslaught continued and it didn’t take the Shakers long to get their noses in front when O’Shea drilled a low shot past Placide from outside the box on 14 minutes.

Athletic were simply not at the races with Ryan Lowe’s side first to every ball as they dominated derby day.

Bury doubled their advantage on 34 minutes when a shot from skipper Neil Danns took a heavy deflection and looped over Placide.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors when captain Anthony Gerrard limped from the field with a tight calf on 38 minutes. Substitute Brian Wilson – making his 100th appearance for the club – took the armband.

Latics were handed a lifeline just three minutes before the break when Nazon ran down the right and squared it for Davies who couldn’t miss from close range.

It wasn’t what Athletic deserved but what a time to get it.

Kean Bryan saw his free-kick well saved by Connor Ripley at the start of the second half as Athletic finally found thier rhythm.

Wellens threw on Doyle and Aaron Amadi-Holloway with only 10 minutes of the second half played in a bid to shake things up in the final third.

With a difficult pitch hindering their usual passing game – the surface wasn’t quite Baseball Ground standard but a pudding all the same due to torrential rain – Wellens’ men started to knock it long, looking for Amadi-Holloway knock-downs.

Ironic then, that the equaliser came from some slick Latics play, Doyle teeing up Ben Pringle to slot home his first for the club with 13 minutes remaining to take a share of the spoils and stretch the unbeaten run to five games.

LATICS (4-1-3-2): Placide, Dummigan, Moimbe, Gerrard (Wilson 38), Bryan; Fane; Gardner, Pringle, Byrne; Nazon (Amadi-Holloway 55), Davies (Doyle 55). Subs (not used): De la Paz, McLaughlin, McEleney, Hunt. Booked: Moimbe, Byrne.

BURY (4-4-2): Ripley, Leigh, Thompson, Cameron, Edwards; Ismail (Hanson 74), O’Shea, Ince (Tutte 62), Danns; Miller, Bunn (Mayor 81). Subs: Murphy, Jones, Dawson, Styles. Booked: Thompson.

Referee: Andy Woolmer.

Attendance: 5,904 (2,707 away).