Bury gave Notts County and their fans the biggest scare imaginable before a dramatic late rally saved a point for the home side.
Notts had been warned before kick-off by manager Gudjon Thordarson that they could not depend on other clubs to save them from relegation to the Conference - the first time in 107 years of unbroken membership of the Football League that Notts had been in such peril.
The best gate of the season was roused to fever pitch when Jimmy Sirrel, the manager that steered Notts into the top flight 25 years ago, went to the centre circle and over the tannoy pleaded for supporters to get behind the team.
But Notts were soon showing their habitual inability to finish off attacking moves with Steve Scoffham the biggest culprit on this crucial day.
Then Bury silenced the home crowd by scoring with their first attempt on Kevin Pilkington's goal. Brian Barry-Murphy's right-wing corner was flicked in at the near post by Dwayne Mattis and Bury went into the break in the lead.
As tension grew, Notts failed to show the necessary penetration up front in the second half as in the first, despite replacing both strikers.
With under 10 minutes remaining, Notts seemed to be heading for another home defeat - it would have been their sixth of the season - when Bury substitute Tom Youngs was left unattended and flipped the ball beyond Pilkington.
Then came a Notts grandstand finish which rescued them a precious point. First Dan Martin reduced the arrears when left unmarked then, with a minute to go, Kasper Schmeichel upended the dangerous Chris Palmer in the box and skipper Julien Baudet kept cool to score from the spot.