NOTTS County drew 3-3 in a pulsating game against Bury at Gigg Lane today.

The Magpies recovered from a nightmare start to be level at 2-2 at half-time.

They fell 2-0 behind in the opening 20 minutes but Lee Hughes struck twice in 12 minutes to leave the League Two clash brilliantly poised at the break.

Stephen Dawson put the home side ahead again early in the second half with an outstanding strike before Matt Ritchie made it 3-3, decisively.

There was heavy rain ahead of kick-off but it stopped and gave way to sunshine minutes before the Magpies got the game underway.

Notts threatened for the first time on eight minutes when Luke Rodgers whipped a dangerous cross across the face of goal from the right wing byline.

Hughes and Ritchie were both charging into the penalty area at pace but neither could get on the end of it to apply the finish.

Bury took the lead a minute later through Daniel Nardiello, who only moved to Gigg Lane on loan on Friday.

The striker raced away from Mike Edwards and into the box before rounding Kasper Schmeichel and side-footing the ball inside the near post.

The Magpies were on the back-foot and Andy Morrell fired narrowly wide of Schmeichel's left-hand post from the edge of the penalty area minutes later.

Notts went 2-0 behind on 19 minutes when Nardiello broke down the left and drove a low cross into the six-yard box that Morrell prodded into the net at the near post.

It was the worst possible start for Hans Backe's men but they pulled a goal back on 26 minutes through Hughes, with his first away goal of the season.

Rodgers was the architect, arrowing another cross into the six yard box from the right wing that Hughes chested past Wayne Brown. It was an improvised finish and an important goal.

Hughes almost made it 2-2 on 36 minutes when he beat the home side's offside trap to seize onto an incisive pass inside the penalty area but Brown pulled off a great save to deny him.

The striker did level the game two minutes later with a wonderful header past Brown from Matt Ritchie's beautifully measured cross from the left wing.

Nardiello looked like he had put Bury back in front on 41 minutes when he burst powerfully into the box and beat Schmeichel with a low effort as the Magpies' keeper came off his goal-line. The striker even ran away to celebrate but the ball slowed in the muddy goalmouth and Schmeichel somehow recovered to claim it and keep the score level.

Bury went 3-2 ahead just five minutes into the second half with a wonder goal from Dawson. The Shakers' skipper cut inside onto his right foot and smashed a 30-yard effort past Schmeichel.

The Magpies stirred and Jamie Clapham forced Brown into a good save low down to his left with a powerful strike from the edge of the box minutes later.

As the Bury keeper parried the ball away, Rodgers pounced on it and whipped it across the goal-line but none of his team-mates were placed to apply the simplest of finishes. The ball eventually fell to Ritchie but he rifled over the bar.

Notts made their first substitution on 68 minutes, introducing Craig Westcarr for Ricky Ravenhill. In need of a goal, they immediately switched to a 4-4-2 formation, with Rodgers moving up front to partner Hughes.

They equalised on 77 minutes through Ritchie as the young winger seized onto a defensive mistake and drove past Brown from close-range.

Amazingly, the Magpies almost went ahead for the first time a minute later when Rodgers crossed into the box for Hughes. It took a great save from Brown to deny him as he rifled at goal.

Ade Akinbiyi replaced Rodgers on 86 minutes. Three minutes of added time were played but neither team could claim victory, although Clapham went close in injury time.

BURY: Brown, Buchanan, Cresswell, S Dawson, Barry-Murphy, Racchi, Jones, Sodje, Morrell, Newey, Nardiello. Subs: Scott, Futcher, Baker, Belford, Harrop, A Dawson, McCarthy.

NOTTS: Schmeichel, Moloney (Thompson, 91), Lee, Edwards, Hunt, Clapham, Bishop, Ravenhill (Westcarr, 68), Rodgers (Akinbiyi, 86), Hughes, Ritchie. Subs: Hoult, Hamshaw, Hawley, Facey.

ATTENDANCE: 3,602 (632 away).