MANAGER David Flitcroft felt Bury beat 'clean-sheet kings' Burton at their own game as they claimed a narrow victory on Saturday, writes Ben Collins.

The two sides were promoted from League Two last season and have picked up from where they left off, with both sitting in the top six of League One.

But it was the Shakers who came out on top after taking a deserved lead in the 40th minute as a cross by Joe Dodoo, signed on loan from Leicester last week, deflected in off Burton left-back Jerome Binnom-Williams.

And the Brewers were unable to force an equaliser after the break, which saw Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's men slip one place to fifth, immediately above Bury in the final play-off spot.

Flitcroft said: “Jimmy's built a winning machine there out of consistency. You don't score many goals against them  they're the king of clean sheets.

“We knew we had to move the ball quickly and we did that first half. It was total domination with the ball and with chances created.

“Joe's come in and done fantastically on the right and looked a threat.

“And second half, the way we performed to keep a clean sheet, the dedication and resolve we showed was fantastic.

“I don't remember Burton really threatening us, I didn't feel as though we were ever in danger, but what I did feel was that right throughout the game, we controlled it.

“I'm delighted with the three points and it was really important that we kept a clean sheet because Burton never stop playing. They've got a fantastic manager who they run through walls for.”

Dodoo scored a hat-trick against Bury on his senior debut in the Capital One Cup in August and he looked right at home on his return to Gigg Lane.

Jacob Mellis was ruled out with a hamstring problem so Dodoo came into the side on the right wing and was a useful outlet in the first half.

Tom Soares was denied by Burton keeper Jon McLaughlin inside the very first minute before Dodoo jinked between two defenders and his low shot from a tight angle was kept out by McLaughlin.

Burton replied with Stuart Beavon turning Peter Clarke before dinking the ball over the onrushing Daniel Bachmann, who returned in the Bury goal. The shot went wide but after the game Hasselbaink was fuming that Bachmann was not sent off for sliding into Beavon with his feet after the ball had gone.

The Brewers had a great opportunity moments later following a free-kick into the Bury box, with John Mousinho cutting the ball back for Abdenasser El Khayati, but with the goal gaping in front of the Dutch forward, he managed to sidefoot over.

After a Chris Hussey corner had been cleared, Dodoo tested McLaughlin again with a low strike from 20 yards, before an inswinging free-kick by Hussey drifted just wide.

But the visiting keeper could do little as Dodoo hit a low cross against Binnom-Williams and the ball looped over McLaughlin and inside the far post.

Although it was fortuitous, it was no more than the Shakers deserved, and they almost doubled their lead at the start of the second half. Dodoo crossed for Tom Pope, whose header was cleared off the line, before Leon Clarke's follow-up from close range was also blocked.

But Burton again regrouped and Phil Edwards' 20-yard strike was turned wide by Bachmann, with Callum Reilly sweeping the resulting corner narrowly over.

A Mark Duffy free-kick almost caught Bachmann out of position but the on-loan Stoke youngster got across his goal to turn it wide.

And El Khayati twice fired over from the edge of the box while Binnom-Williams pounced on a stray pass out of defence to test Bachmann with a rasping strike.

Flitcroft had the rare luxury of being able to name a full complement on the bench and fit-again midfield pair Kelvin Etuhu and Craig Jones returned as second-half substitutes.

Etuhu almost sealed victory as his 20-yard strike was tipped on to the bar by McLaughlin in the 73rd minute.

But one goal proved enough for the Shakers, who looked pretty comfortable during the closing stages, despite more than six minutes of stoppage time being played.

The match-winner may have gone down as an own goal but Flitcroft hailed his new loan ranger Dodoo, stressing that you've got to buy a ticket to win the raffle.

“There's excitement when Joe gets on the ball,” added the Bury boss.

“He's a player who, when he gets half a yard, he takes a chance, and sometimes you get your just rewards.

“Whether it falls on his left or right foot, he's a very positive player in the final third. He looks to get shots off and to drive at players.

“If we went in at half time and we weren't 1-0 up, I'd have been disappointed.”

BURY: Bachmann 8, Riley 7, Cameron 7, P Clarke 7, Hussey 7, Dodoo 8 (Jones 69, 5), Soares 7, Pugh 7, Mayor 7, L Clarke 7 (Rose 87, 5), Pope 6 (Etuhu 58, 6).

Not used: Brown, Burgess, Sedgwick, Ruddy.

BURTON ALBION: McLaughlin, Edwards, Mousinho, Cansdell-Sherriff (Butcher 80), Binnom-Williams, Akins (Thiele 66), Naylor, Reilly, El Khayati, Duffy, Beavon (Joachim 77).

Not used: Flanagan, O'Connor, Palmer, Matthews.

Goals: Bury - Binnom-Williams og 40.

Yellow cards: Bury - Etuhu (68), Hussey (90+4). Burton - Akins (62).

Referee: Andy Haines (Tyne & Wear).

Attendance: 3,788 (247 visiting).

STAR MAN: Joe Dodoo – David Flitcroft has been trying to sign the 20-year-old forward on loan from Leicester since his dream debut at Bury in August and he's been worth the wait. Every time the ball went to Dodoo it looked like something would happen and with the ball sticking on the right wing, it gave the Shakers more balance, with Chris Hussey and Danny Mayor having continued their dominant partnership down the left this season. With neat footwork and an eye for goal, Dodoo has been tipped by Flitcroft to have a big impact during his month with the Shakers, and on this showing it's hard to disagree.