DAVID Flitcroft was able to draw the positives from his side's dominant performance against Scunthorpe United on Tuesday, despite suffering a 2-1 defeat.

Bury were downed by a stunning free-kick by Luke Williams four minutes from time after Leon Clarke cancelled out Paddy Madden's opener from the spot.

The hosts proved a constant threat throughout, registering 21 shots to the Iron's eight, and the Shakers boss was pleased with the attacking intent his side showed from beginning to end.

“We tortured their back four the first half,” he said.

“We absolutely tortured them at times and you were just waiting for the net to ripple. Their keeper was fantastic first half.

“The performance is good and I said to them that 80 per-cent of our work was immaculate, there was a real vigour in the performance and an aggression, but the 20 per-cent you have to get right if you want to win football matches and keep clean sheets.

“There are a lot of things in defeat that I have found positive tonight. At 80 minutes I didn't expect to not get a point from that game.

“Probably in terms of chances created that was the most we have created at home, even more than the 4-0 win against Wigan when you look at it statistically.

“Leon has had five or six chances that on another day Leon puts away, they are perfect chances."

Flitcroft made three changes from the 1-0 victory against Burton at the weekend as Tom Soares was suspended and Danny Mayor was taken ill, so Kelvin Etuhu and Craig Jones were drafted into the starting XI.

Tom Pope also dropped to the bench as Danny Rose came in to partner Leon Clarke up front.

Bury controlled the early possession but fell behind when Williams was dragged down by Nathan Cameron after a mazy run into the penalty area.

The Iron's top-goalscorer Madden stepped up and duly converted from the spot, sending Daniel Bachmann the wrong way.

But the hosts reacted in a positive manner through the lively Joe Dodoo, who cut in from the left and fired a deflected effort goalwards that forced Luke Daniels into a smart save down to his left on the 18th minute.

And a minute later the club's top scorer Leon Clarke poked Danny Rose's low cross from the right the wrong side of the upright from close-range, before the powerful forward had a looping header saved.

The Shakers' onslaught continued when Rose took advantage of some slack defending to pick up a loose ball and round the goalkeeper, but his shot came back off the post from an acute angle.

Clarke had the chance to level on the stroke of half-time after racing through on goal following a one-two with Rose, but the striker smashed his effort straight against the body of Daniels.

The Gigg Lane outfit started the second period as they ended the first as Craig Jones tested Daniels with a header from Joe Riley's deep cross.

And five minutes after the re-start Bury were level. Riley produced a moment of brilliance down the right to skip past Scott Laird and cut the ball back to Clarke who swept the ball home from 10-yards out.

Moments later, Scunthorpe skipper Jack King was twice denied by the superb Bachmann. The first, a stunning finger-tip save from two-yards, was swiftly followed by a second, a strong wrist to claw a header off the line that looked for all the world like it was heading into the top corner.

The visitors burst into life after being pegged back and Tommy Rowe created a pocket of space in the area but could not find a way past Bachmann.

The energetic Etuhu sent Clarke through on goal in the 70th minute but the forward rolled his shot across goal and wide.

But in pushing for the elusive winner Bury left themselves exposed at the back and when Peter Clarke hacked down Williams 30 yards out with four minutes remaining, the midfielder picked himself up to curl the resulting free-kick into the bottom corner.

And after the game Flitcroft underlined his desire to win and to repay the supporters who turn out week in, week out.

“You just want to win and the team want to win and the supporters want to win,” he said.

“It's what we want to build at the football club and I want to win for them.

"They pay good money to watch us Saturday and Tuesday. I want to try to reward them with a win.

“I am not happy dominating and not winning. I want three points and to add to our tally.

"I am frustrated because we created so many chances and we have the quality in this team to score goals.

“It's just one of those nights, but there are certainly things we can learn from it.”

BURY (4-4-2): Bachmann 8, Riley 8, Cameron 6, P Clarke 6, Hussey 6, Dodoo 8, Etuhu 7, Pugh 6, Jones 6 (Eagles 84, 6), Clarke 7, Rose 7 (Pope 69, 6).

Not used: Ruddy, Sedgwick, Burgess, Brown.

SCUNTHORPE (4-2-3-1): Daniels, Wiseman, Mirfin (Goode 20), Canavan, Laird (J Clarke 56), Bishop, King, Madden, Williams, Rowe, Henderson

Not used: Anyon, McAllister, Van Veen, Adelakun, McSheffrey.

Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland).

Attendance: 2,483 (189 visiting).

Star-man: Joe Dodoo – The lively winger was a constant threat down the right channel and had the delivery to match. The youngster showed exactly why he was well sought after with an accomplished performance that put fear in the visiting defence, which even forced the Iron boss Mark Robins to replace left-back Scott Laird after he was struggling to deal with the wide-man.