MORE defensive errors cost Bury as they bowed out of the Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday night.

Visitors Fleetwood eased in front in the third-round tie as Jordy Hiwula’s 14th-minute opener was followed up by a 17th-minute penalty from Bobby Grant.

Substitute Harry Bunn roused a meagre home crowd as he pulled a goal back in first-half stoppage time, only for Hiwula to strike again on 50 minutes.

The Shakers hit back five minutes later through a first senior goal by half-time substitute Tsun Dai. And despite finishing strongly, manager Chris Lucketti’s men could not avoid a seventh straight defeat as League One rivals Fleetwood secured their place in the last eight.

The Bury boss said: “We started great, were on the front foot. We hit the bar and post, and played some cracking football.

“But one mistake, one error of judgement, one bad decision and the ball’s in our net. We were 2-0 down from two attacks.

“The goal before half time gave us a lift but then we shot ourselves in the foot early in the second half. Phil (Edwards) is devastated in the dressing room, he’s a great pro, but it’s an error that you can’t legislate for.”

Lucketti made eight changes to the side which lost 3-0 at Plymouth on Saturday, with new loan signings Connor Ripley and James Hanson, and Greg Leigh, the only men to remain in the starting XI.

The Bury boss began with a 3-4-1-2 formation, with left-back Joe Skarz making his first appearance since the competition’s group win at Blackburn in October while Leigh was at left wing-back and youngster Ryan Cooney on the right.

The new-look line-up made a positive start with visiting keeper Alex Cairns having to tip Chris Maguire’s 25-yard free-kick against the post before Callum Reilly dragged a shot wide.

But a Fleetwood side that was entirely different to that which started Saturday’s FA Cup draw with Leicester then charged into a 2-0 lead.

Conor McAleny shrugged off Eoghan O’Connell to latch onto Hiwula’s through-ball and although his shot was well saved by Ripley, the rebound looped up for Hiwula to head into an empty net.

And the Shakers’ defence was soon caught flat-footed again as Hiwula charged into the box before being tripped by Edwards, with Grant firing the spot-kick into the bottom corner.

Fleetwood remained on top with McAleny twice going close and O’Connell’s miserable evening got worse as he was stretchered off to be replaced by Bunn, who played wide right as Lucketti rejigged his line-up.

Bunn’s introduction boosted Bury as Maguire laid off for Reilly, whose shot from the edge of the box thumped against the Fleetwood bar.

Bunn then drifted in from the right and shifted the ball onto his left foot, curling inside the far post to score Bury’s first goal in seven games – since their second-round win at Walsall.

Although some home fans had rightly been critical during the opening period, they rallied behind the players as they went back down the tunnel. But shortly after the interval Edwards misjudged a long ball, allowing Hiwula to slot past Ripley.

Like Skarz and Cooney, Dai also made his first appearance under Lucketti and he then gave the Shakers hope, firing home from close range after Cairns turned a cross into his path.

And the Hong Kong youth international almost equalised moments later as his 20-yard strike was parried by Cairns, who blocked Ajose’s follow-up.

Bury failed to maintain that momentum but Reilly and Ajose tested Cairns late on, before the visiting keeper clawed away Maguire’s long-range strike to deny the Shakers a penalty shootout.

Lucketti added: “We had to make changes for injuries and people that were cup-tied, so again we gave other people opportunities and it was a very attack-minded team.

“We scored two cracking goals and hit the woodwork twice so we certainly created chances. The downfall is when you defend like that.

“The fans want entertainment but ultimately they want to see winning football and that’s not what we’re playing at the moment.”