RYAN Lowe’s injury-time header snatched a point for Bury at the death after 10-man Hereford had looked set for an unlikely win.

New signing Guillem Bauza had opened the scoring from the spot just after the break, bringing Hereford’s goalless run to an end.

And the Bulls seemed to have survived despite heavy pressure when Lowe popped up at the far post.

Bauza was given a debut in one of three changes made by Simon Davey for the trip to Gigg Lane.

James McQuilkin was restored to midfield in place of Dan Stratford with Michael Townsend, fit again after injury, lining up alongside Richard Rose in the centre of defence.

O’Neil Thompson, who has failed to make much of a positive impact in recent matches, failed to even make the bench.

After some scrappy early play, Adam Bartlett was the first of the goalkeepers to see serious action on five minutes.

The Bulls keeper had to dive to field a fiercely driven shot striker Andy Bishop.

Bartlett did well to parry a powerful 20-yarder from Mike Jones seconds later.

With Bury’s build-up play by far the more impressive, Andy Haworth was the next to try his luck, dragging a long-range effort wide.

It was Hereford, though, who forced the first corner after nine minutes but McQuilkin’s kick was cleared.

Hereford were now looking the more impressive attacking force and Bauza missed a good chance to end the Bulls’ goal-drought on 16 minutes.

The Spaniard blazed over from the edge of the area after keeper Cameron Belford’s weak punch.

A foul by Ryan Valentine on the edge of the area produced a free-kick for the Shakers from which Ryan Lowe had a shot deflected for a corner.

But there was furious indignation and extended protests from Hereford at the initial award of the free-kick which brought no caution for the Bulls defender.

Stuart Fleetwood, however, earned the afternoon’s first booking on 26 minutes for a foul on Phil Picken.

Full-back Picken’s attacking work should have produced a goal on 35 minutes when Andy Bishop failed to get a touch to his driven cross.

On 37 minutes a foul by Townsend on Lowe produced a soft penalty for the home side.

But Bartlett came to Hereford’s rescue with a superb save from Bishop’s spot-kick.

In an open game, Joe Colbeck sprinted down the right past Joe Skarz and delivered a dangerous cross which Belford stopped to gather.

By half-time, Hereford’s goalless run had extended to 569 minutes in the League and a record 659 in all competitions.

But the sequence was ended inside the first minute of the second period when Bauza was brought down by Picken in the six-yard box.

The Spaniard got up to roll the penalty past Belford.

Peter Sweeney shaved a post with a curling free-kick as Bury attempted an immediate response.

Bartlett then had to drop to his knees to save a left-foot drive from Andy Haworth.

But Hereford also had their moments in attack with Colbeck and Bauza, in particular, looking dangerous.

Mathieu Manset also had a dangerous cross put behind for a corner with Fleetwood closing in.

Hereford’s task was made more difficult when Lunt’s second yellow card of the afternoon saw him leave the fray on 72 minutes.

Moments later, substitute Danny Carlton missed a glorious chance to level, lifting the ball over from six yards when unmarked.

Hereford had a let-off when Lowe headed in, only for pedantic referee Geoff Eltringham to order the free-kick to be re-taken from a different spot.

But Hereford could have added a second when Manset broke through nine minutes from the end only for a good Belford save to deny him.

But the Bulls were soon back under the cosh and Bartlett saved brilliantly from a powerfully struck Lowe effort.

And the Bulls keeper produced an even better stop from David Worrall’s bullet of a drive.

But Bartlett was left grasping thin air when Peter Sweeney’s injury-time shot hit the bar and went over.

Two and a half minutes into stoppage time, the keeper was finally beaten when Lowe’s header went in off a post.

Hereford: Bartlett; Green, Rose, Townsend, Valentine; Colbeck, Lunt, McQuilkin, Fleetwood; Manset, Bauza (Stratford 73). Subs not used: Whittaker, Weir, Werling, Canham, Malsom, Rabihou.

Bury: Belford: Picken (Bennett 83), Lees, Sodje, Skarz; M Jones, Sweeney, Mozika, Haworth (Worrall 70); Bishop (Carlton 70), Lowe. Subs not used: Futcher, Branagan, A Jones, Harrop. Referee: Geoff Eltringham (Tyne & Wear).

Attendance: 2,753 (152 from Hereford).

Goals: Bauza pen, 46 min, 0-1.

Red card: Hereford - Lunt, foul, 30 min; foul, 72 min.

Yellow cards: Hereford – Fleetwood, foul, 26 min; Townsend, 37 min, foul; Valentine, foul, 77 min; Bury – Skarz, foul, 45 min;