DAVID Flitcroft has backed Leon Clarke to keep banging in the goals after Bury's star striker missed a number of golden opportunities to win Tuesday night's 0-0 draw against Crewe.

The forward has been in fine form since signing for last summer, notching 16 goals in 28 appearances.

But he missed a hat-full of chances in the goalless stalemate with League One's basement club, including one horror miss from two yards.

The 30-year-old has already netted twice in the FA Cup this campaign and is set to lead the line for the fifth time in 15 days at home to Hull City in tomorrow's fourth-round tie.

And ahead of the clash with the Tigers, manager Flitcroft was confident the club's top goalscorer would be able to "reset" himself and show the same desire to fire in the goals.

“He is (disappointed),” Flitcroft said. “You could see after (his glaring miss against Crewe), that he still went looking for more chances.

“He has got a great reset button. Some strikers carry it with them and as you have seen this season with his goal tally, he keeps going looking for goals, he keeps going looking for opportunities, he doesn't hide.

“Of course he is gutted with the miss, of course he is gutted that he has not given us that winning goal again like he did against Oldham, but he has got a fantastic reset button, which the best strikers have.”

Meanwhile, fellow forward Danny Nardiello this week joined Plymouth Argyle on loan until the end of the season and will be available for the League Two side's match at home to Wycombe Wanderers tomorrow.

The 33-year-old has only made one brief appearance – against Chesterfield – this term after struggling with what the club described as "niggling injuries".

But Flitcroft is backing the forward to get his career back on track in Devon.

“It shows the willingness for Nards to try to reboot his career,” he said. “I have only been able to pick him for one game this season.

“He has only done eight training sessions with the first-team squad due to injuries. It has been one injury after another.

“He has been to see his own specialist and he has got it right now, he has got him in a better place.

“Nards will go there and again it brings revenue into the club, which the club needs.

"We are trying to reshape and remould the squad a little bit so recovering the wages we get from Plymouth will allow us to do that.”