GLYNN Hurst revealed he played through the pain before scoring a potentially lifesaving goal for Bury on Friday night.

The Shakers striker equalised against nine-man Wrexham in stoppage time to give his struggling side a much-needed boost in their fight against relegation.

It was Hurst's first strike in five games, earning a priceless point for Chris Casper's side, but the former Stockport hitman said after the game he had recently been playing with injections in his back to aid a pelvic injury, which left him with restricted movement.

Despite the injury, Hurst had figured in every game for the Shakers, and although results elsewhere over the weekend did Bury few favours, his strike at the Racecourse Ground has given everyone at Gigg Lane a shot of confidence.

"It felt like a win," said Hurst, who has now scored 11 goals in 29 appearances this season. "All points are welcome at this time of the year and if the other teams around us were watching Teletext and saw us score in the 90th minute, I think it will have deflated them a little bit.

"It's a precious point and, at the moment, we are grateful for small mercies."

Hurst has struggled to maintain full fitness since signing for Shrewsbury Town, initially on loan, in September last year.

An Achilles injury meant he missed pre-season training and was playing catch-up from the start of his time with the Shakers. The more recent hip problem has been another hindrance for the 31-year-old, making his goal ratio all the more impressive.

"I have been playing when I have been injured," Hurst admitted. "Sometimes it is not always possible to play at 100 per cent. You feel responsible for what is happening.

"We want to stay up, but now I am getting back to full fitness, and starting to fire on all cylinders again."

Bury find themselves three points off the final relegation place, with a game in hand on its current incumbent, Boston United.

A second successive fight against the drop did not appear to be on the cards when Hurst first joined the club, spurring them on to a six-game winning streak which saw the Shakers rubbing shoulders with the top six.

But Hurst said the experience will benefit younger players in the Shakers squad in the long run "The young lads will remember fighting against relegation for the rest of their careers and that will help them become stronger characters and better players for it," Hurst said.

"If you do it year in, year out, it has an effect on you."It's like a boxer, but it also helps you in a way and prepares you. That's an advantage as far as I'm concerned."

David Buchanan, who was stretchered off against Wrexham, could miss next weekend's home game against Macclesfield.

The young left-sided midfielder took a heavy blow to the knee in the second half, and will be monitored by the club's medical staff.