GRAHAM Barrow wore the relieved smile of a manager who had just seen his team pick up their first win in eight games. He'd have been forgiven it had been a 'told you so' smirk.

For weeks the Shakers' chief has been at pains to point out that the recent crop of transfers and injuries that stretched his depleted squad to the limit has had a massive bearing on the side's troubling slide down the table.

Some people have chosen not to listen.

But with no fewer than five of his walking wounded back in the frame against Cambridge on Saturday, the result was a crucial, battling win that opened up a 13 point gap between the U's and the Gigg Lane men.

Call it what you like, but don't call it coincidence!

A superb last minute goal from Dave Flitcroft earned the Shakers their welcome three points and hammered another nail into Cambridge's relegation coffin, dropping them into League Two's bottom position.

But, arguably, the most important goal of the day came from a player who wasn't even in the starting line-up.

Jon Newby admitted to being 'fuming' at 1.30pm when the team was announced and he was on the bench.

However, he made his point the best way possible, with an equalising goal that cancelled out Iwan Roberts' effort that had given the visitors a worrying 1-0 half-time lead.

With goalkeeper Glyn Garner, defender Colin Woodthorpe, midfielder Dwayne Mattis and striker Chris Porter, not to mention Paul Scott on the bench, all back after varying lengths of time on the treatment table, the Shakers made a bright start against a buoyant Cambridge side that, despite their lowly position, had won their previous two games.

They should have gone in front as early as the seventh minute when Tom Kennedy's free-kick from 35 yards out completely foxed U's goalkeeper John Ruddy and sailed into the top corner.

But his effort was chalked off by referee Trevor Parkes after one of his assistants flagged for offside.

It was a travesty of a decision that Barrow and his assistant Kelham O'Hanlon vociferously pointed out to the officials.

The home side didn't let the decision sidetrack them though, and they continued to take the game to Cambridge.

Both Colin Kazim-Richards, who enjoyed probably his best game in a Bury shirt, and Bas Savage, had shots blocked in the goalmouth before the visitors took the lead just before the half-hour mark.

The goal was a real sickener for Garner who, seconds earlier, had pulled off two superb close range saves from Roberts and Luke Guttridge but it proved third time lucky for the visitors when the ball broke kindly for the former who lashed home from close range.

It was the 200th league goal for the much-travelled 36-year-old who was making his debut after arriving on loan from Gillingham earlier in the week.

Five minutes later Barrow substituted Savage for Newby, and although the Reading loanee looked incredulous at his manager's decision, it proved to be the right one.

Nine minutes of the second half had elapsed when Newby restored parity, getting on the end of a headed flick from Porter to volley first time into the top corner from eight yards.

Battling head first into driving sleet for long periods, Bury showed all their gutsy qualities for the rest of the half.

Kazim-Richards saw a header from a Simon Whaley cross fly narrowly wide while Ruddy, who is to join Everton for £200,000 in the summer, won't have impressed the Toffeemen's goalkeeping coach Chris Woods in the stand when he mishandled a wicked, inswinging corner from Kennedy.

Fortunately for the promising youngster, Tom Newey was on hand to hack the ball off the line.

It looked like a share of the spoils was on the cards until Flitcroft's intervention, crashing home a magnificent 25-yard effort after being set up by Kazim-Richards.

The goalscorer, and all his teammates, instinctively ran over to Barrow in the dugout to celebrate the goal in a show of unity and delight.

"I thought we showed a lot of character and got our just desserts on the day, said the Bury boss.

"The win leaves us in a better position and we've just got to kick on now.

"It was a difficult decision to leave Jon Newby out but I brought him back to the club and I was brave enough to throw him back on the pitch after they had scored.

"His was an excellent finish and if he plays like that he'll be in the team every week, I have no problem with Jon.

"Dave's winner was the icing on the cake though, but I must admit I thought it had hit the sidenetting at first."