Bury 0 Huddersfield 0: BURY stopped the rot, gained a point and kept a clean sheet -- but lost a whole lot more on the way.
Jamie Stuart's 77th minute dismissal and injuries to Chris Billy and David Borley piled on the agony for Shakers' boss Andy Preece as he watched his side miss chances aplenty to have won this game.
After two consecutive defeats in which they conceded three goals in both, a 0-0 draw, even at home, will be regarded as a bonus, but there was much more to it than that.
Stuart's two-footed tackle on Huddersfield's lively winger, Leon Knight, brought him an immediate red card and Bury's first team coach Graham Barrow said: "Jamie paid the price for other peoples' bad challenges.
"It was a bad tackle, but it came on the back of two other fouls on the little lad and I think the referee got a bit tired of it. Jamie was a victim of circumstance."
Substitute Lee Connell, on for the unfortunate Billy after just nine minutes, went closest for Bury in the first half.
His 24th minute shot from distance hit the underside of the bar and pinged back into play.
Two minutes before the break Jason Jarrett launched his attempt for goal with a free-kick that Margetson tipped onto the roof of the net.
All agonising stuff, and there was more to come for the Shakers just five minutes into the second half when Borley went off to be replaced by George Clegg.
Lee Unsworth headed wide of the far post from Gareth Seddon's 53rd minute cross, but Huddersfield grew stronger as the second half progressed and Bury goalkeeper Paddy Kenny produced a great diving save to stop Andy Booth's 71st minute header.
Kenny Irons had a 77th minute shot blocked and Knight immediately put in a shot that Kenny saved, seconds after Stuart's sending off.
Bury were extremely fortunate to survive an incredible 82nd minute melee right in front of goal and Huddersfield kept up the pressure with Bury launching sporadic raids at the other end, but it had always looked likely and stalemate was the outcome.
The point takes Bury just above the Division Two relegation zone. They face another stiff test with the visit of Tranmere Rovers to Gigg Lane on Saturday and Barrow added: ""We want to stay out of the bottom four for the rest of the season now.
"It was nice to keep a clean sheet. The defeats against Swindon and QPR left a heavy imprint on us, but if we can get three points on Saturday we will be all the better for it."
BURY: Kenny, Swailes, Unsworth, Billy, Seddon, Redmond, Borley, Jarrett, Nelson, Newby, Stuart. Substitutes: Collins, Preece, Connell, Clegg, Lawson.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN: Margetson, Evans, Irons, Gray, Hay, Holland, Schofield, Moses, Knight, Booth, Clarke. Substitutes: Armstrong, Wynard, Heary, P Macari, Senior. Referee: Mr Brian Curson (Hinckley, Leicestershire). Attendance: 3,462 (1,048 from Huddersfield).
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