BURY can face the second half of their campaign with a renewed sense of optimism after going into the new year on the back of consecutive victories.

They have come a long way since the start of the season, when everything looked as if it was going swimmingly before their form and results dropped off dramatically.

David Flitcroft’s side have been on a bit of a rollercoaster since September, but hopefully they have had their sticky patch now and can move onwards and upwards.

The biggest lesson to come out of their bad spell is the need for consistency – in selection and style of play.

Bury really hit the buffers when Flicker started to look to loan players for the answers.

In my view, the squad is strong enough in almost every area to compete at this level.

Things will not always go to plan, but when mistakes happen, don’t go running to players outside your squad for solutions.

Of course, you need to build a squad you feel can offer competition for places, but there is no point in searching for things that may not be out there.

Clearly, Flicker has been impressed by the impact made by loan players Adam El-Abd and Hallam Hope over the festive period.

If he feels there is a deal to be done for those two then by all means go out and try to get them, but I don’t think there is any need for another shopping spree in January.

The same can be said for the system and style of play.

I don’t think it is any coincidence that since Flicker has reverted to 4-4-2 results have improved.

One of the main reasons for that is the freedom being given to Danny Mayor.

Every team needs a match-winner – someone who can unlock the door.

Danny can do that and there seems little sense in overloading him with too many defensive duties. He was clearly less effective while playing as a wing-back and has scored three goals in four games as a traditional winger.

The only real question that remains is over the goalkeeping position.

I don’t think Rob Lainton or Shwan Jalal have been given enough of a run in the team to prove they are up to the task.

But if the Bury boss is looking for a replacement then he has got to trust the advice of his specialist goalkeeping coach.

Top coaches like Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Brendan Rodgers have struggled to find the right man to fill the role, so it is no blemish on Flickers’ credentials if he has to put his trust in someone else to find the solution.

Solve that one though, and I think the results will start to flow.