DAVID Flitcroft was left to rue a missed opportunity after his Bury side blew an early lead at the Priestfield Stadium.

Gillingham moved top of League One after cancelling out Leon Clarke’s fourth-minute header with two goals of their own - from Dominic Samuel and captain John Egan - inside the opening 10 minutes.

And Emmanuel Osadabe’s late solo effort sealed all three points for Justin Edinburgh’s men.

“I’m extremely disappointed,” said the Bury boss.

“We’ve come to a tough place and we’ve got the start we wanted. It was a brilliant goal – a great ball in and a wonderful header.

“So you are 1-0 up against one of the top teams in the league and that’s the time to focus on making sure we protected that lead, but we didn’t do that.”

Flitcroft pointed the finger of blame at his defenders, who he believed failed to live up to their promise to protect debutant goalkeeper Jack Ruddy.

The 17-year-old Scot was thrust in for his first start in league football after recent signing Paddy Kenny tore a calf muscle in training on Thursday.

With Rob Lainton out injured and on-loan Stoke keeper Daniel Bachmann away on international duty, there was no other option.

But the Bury boss was as happy with the former youth team keeper’s performance as he was unhappy with his back four.

“It was two hopeful balls in the box,” said Flitcroft, referring to Gillingham’s two early goals.

Leon Clarke headed Danny Mayor’s pinpoint cross in off the underside of the crossbar to put the visitors in pole position, but their lead lasted just two minutes.

The ball eventually broke to Gillingham striker Samuel, who tucked in the leveller at the back post after a spot of pinball in the box - a half-blocked effort from Bradley Dack and a deflected Jake Hessenthaler shot that Ruddy did well to palm away.

No sooner had the Gills fans’ celebrations died down that they were cranked up again when Harry Lennon nodded a high free kick across the area and Egan finished from six yards.

“Rudds has done fantastic to save a shot for the first goal but on the second-phase defending we didn’t clean it up,” added Flitcroft.

“I’m disappointed with the two (early) goals, certainly the timescale of them and the way they have been conceded – they were really soft goals that we should have defended better.

“Second half we moved it better and shaped it better. Danny Rose has had a good chance with the header, it was a fantastic clearance from the kid.

“That could have changed the outlook of the game.

“But credit to Gillingham, they make a noise down here. They get behind it and Justin has got them going.

“It is a difficult place to come so I’m gutted that at 1-0 up we have not dug in and kept it at 1-0 for longer.”

Despite going a goal up after 10 minutes, Gillingham continued to press forward, but Ruddy was equal to their efforts, making a number of brave, athletic saves to keep Bury in it.

At the other end, Danny Rose had the Shakers’ best chance, but Lennon cleared his header off the line.

A swirling wind and driving rain made it difficult for either side to keep control of the ball and a mistake always looked like settling it.

And as the Flitcroft’s men pressed forward they were undone on the break as Osadabe made the most of some weak defending, brushing Reece Brown off the ball before nutmegging Peter Clarke on the byline and cutting in to slide home Gillingham’s third goal with two minutes to play.

Despite the result, Bury remain in the play-off places, albeit only on goal difference.

But Flitcroft is realistic that they will have to improve their defending if they are going to stay up there in sixth place.

"Listen, there are no plaudits today,” he said. “We want to win with new Bury and I am gutted we have not won.

“I'm gutted that we have come here and not given a better account of ourselves and I've told the players that.

"But we make sure that on Monday we tidy up our work, certainly defensively.

"The goals aren't very good goals that we have conceded.

"I don't mind if we get done by a worldie goal or a bullet header or from a fantastic ball that you can't defend, then hats off to that.

"But they were poor goals and we have got to work at that as a team and eradicate those goals against."

GILLINGHAM: Nelson; Jackson, Egan (Oshilaja 90+5), Lennon, Garmston; Osadabe, Wright (A Morris 85), Dack, Hessenthaler; Samuel (McDonald 85), Donnelly.

Not used: G Morris, Loft, McGlashan, Dickenson.

BURY: Ruddy 7; Riley 6, Cameron 6, P Clarke 5, Hussey 7; Soares 6, Mellis 7 (Brown 5 78), Pugh 5 (Rose 7 60), Mayor 7; L Clarke 7, Pope 6.

Not used: Sedgwick, Burgess.

Scorers: Gillingham – Samuel 6, Egan 10, Osadabe 88. Bury – L Clarke 4.

Yellow cards: Gillingham – Lennon 50, Dack 63. Bury – P Clarke 43, Riley 43.

Referee: Keith Stroud.

Attendance: 6,063 (212 visiting).

Star man: Jack Ruddy – After conceding two goals in the opening 10 minutes and putting a number of kicks straight out of play in the first half, most teenagers would have wilted. But the 17-year-old debutant showed great self-confidence and no shortage of ability to grow into the game, as his manager described it. Ruddy went on to make a number of brave saves, especially in the second half, as he kept Bury in the game until the last two minutes. It is unlikely he will retain his place once Daniel Bachmann returns but now at least manager David Flitcroft knows his reserve stopper can do a job if called upon.