IF YOU were a bookmaker, you would have backed Stanley tormenter Andy Bishop to score no matter how late on in the Boxing Day derby clash.
The one-time Reds target has faced Stanley four times in the last two seasons - and scored in all the games.
The striker managed to fire home in both matches for his old club York City in the Conference last season and came up with the goods at Bury in League Two in September.
And he managed to break the Reds' hearts and deny them their first win in ten league games by bundling the ball home from two yards 14 minutes from time on Tuesday.
It was devastating for the Reds who could see those elusive three points coming ever closer after Andy Todd had fired home from the penalty spot on five minutes.
But it was odds-on the powerful Bishop would give little Christmas cheer to Stanley as they dropped just three points off the bottom spot and added more injuries and suspensions to their already ravaged squad.
"It is disappointing," admitted boss John Coleman, whose side haven't won at the FES for five league games. "We had got ourselves into a good situation being one-nil up with 14 minutes left. Then we fell for a sucker punch with a set-play and we ended up having to hang on.
"It shouldn't be like that at home. We used to have a good record at home and we have got to get back to it."
And the manager had a few complaints about referee David Whitestone after three more Stanley names entered the book - and Leam Richardson now faces a suspension after 10 bookings.
"I am disappointed with the bookings as they seem to be going against us. We are racking up suspensions left, right and centre and it is hard to take," said Coleman.
However, Bury boss Chris Casper was equally aggrieved as he felt the referee was kinder to Stanley - and he did have a point.
The Reds were awarded the early penalty when David Brown, recalled from a loan spell from Burton, had his shirt pulled by former Burnley player Chris Brass as he waited to turn and have a shot. Todd kept calm to fire the Reds into an early lead - his sixth goal of the season.
But, at the death, Robbie Williams appeared to do the same to Bishop but nothing was given for Bury.
"If the first was a penalty, then ours was - how can you give one and not the other?" said Casper. "I felt it was harsh on us but it was a good derby with no quarter given and none asked."
And, while Stanley are sick of Bishop, the Shakers chief is feeling the same about keeper Ian Dunbavin who pulled off a string of superb stops to make sure Stanley at least had a point.
"He seems to do that against us," said Casper. "I don't know how he has saved some of the shots from Bishop and Glynn Hurst. He has had two really good performances against us this season."
The Bury fans had come in their numbers to the FES as they looked to cheer their side into a play-off spot.
However, the colourful Reds supporters were hopeful that this could just be the turning point of their season - a derby win giving plenty of hope for the second half of the campaign for the fans, management and players alike. And it looked like it would finally be a vital three points when Todd fired home the spot kick to give the Reds an early morale boost.
It could have been two on 14 minutes following a neat one-two between Todd and Brown but the former Hereford man ended up firing straight into Alan Fettis' arms.
Bury were offering little up front in a feisty derby which was made stop-start by the referee.
They did have one good chance with a deflected looping effort from Paul Scott which Dunbavin tipped over the bar but they were largely restricted by what seemed a stable Stanley defence.
However, the Reds then had to reshuffle their backline when Danny Ventre fell awkwardly on his knee and was stretchered off on 20 minutes. Rikki Baines came on for his league debut and covered well out of position at right back.
The game continued to be spoilt with the constant whistles for fouls and chances were at a premium - but the tempo was certainly upped after the break.
Bury had to go for it and Stanley had to defend their lead and it made for an entertaining spectacle, helped by the 3,000-strong crowd.
In the early stages of the half, Brown, Paul Mullin and Todd all had shots inside the six yard blocked while Buchanan's cross took a deflection and looked like it was heading into the net before sailing inches over.
Defender Phil Edwards threw his body in front of the ball as Bishop lined up to shoot while Fettis and Tom Kennedy blocked a Brown effort.
Then it was agony for Andy Procter as Brown played a great ball in from the left wing and, with the goal gaping six yards out, it somehow hit his heel and went backwards instead of into the goal.
Then, from the hour, it became the Dunbavin show. The keeper, recalled to the starting line-up, pulled off a wonder save to keep out Bishop from close range and was there to deny Buchanan's follow up at the near post. Bishop and ex-Burnley winger Marc Pugh then both had a go in a goalmouth scramble with Stanley clearing the ball off the line.
The goal was coming and Coleman tried to switch it around by taking off Brown and putting on Shaun Whalley, leaving Mullin up front on his own.
But this didn't stop Bury and, within a minute of the change, a Buchanan corner was headed back across the goal by sub Matt Blinkhorn and Bishop was there to force the ball home.
From then on, the visitors looked for the winner and the Reds record of conceding in the last 10 minutes is not the best.
But this time Dunbavin held firm despite Bury appealing for a penalty when they felt Williams had his arms around Bishop; then the striker was kept out by one hand of the Reds keeper and, in the dying minutes, the shot-stopper superbly denied Glynn Hurst as his effort looked destined for the back of the net.
