DAVID Flitcroft praised club top goalscorer Leon Clarke after he fired home Bury’s winner against Doncaster on his return from injury.

John O’Sullivan missed a glorious opportunity in the first half before supplying Clarke for the only goal of the game midway through the second period.

The visitors lacked quality in the final third and although they had more possession, they failed to create any clear-cut opportunities as the Shakers’ defence stood strong.

And after spending a month out with a thigh injury, Flitcroft lauded the efforts of his star striker, whose 18th goal of the season proved to be a match-winner once again.

“The goal was immaculate,” Flitcroft said. “From the pass, the time sort of stood still.

“He’s just got that incredible quality and we have missed him, there is no doubt about that. He’s a threat, he’s strong, he’s aggressive in what he does, he’s mobile, he’s a target man and I thought he caused them no end of problems.”

But with all the quality the former Wolves striker brings to the side, the Bury boss also praised his defence, who contained a Doncaster side fighting for their lives at the foot of the League One table.

Flitcroft added: “The rest of the players had to work tirelessly and really had to work hard for the clean sheet.

“It’s a massive clean sheet because you won’t play against a Darren Ferguson team that lies down.

"I know they are on a bad run but they have not laid down, they’ve given him everything and they’ve come here with a real verve to win this football match.”

Visiting boss Ferguson labelled the Gigg Lane clash "a must-win game" in the build up and his side, who finished the day eight points from League One safety with five games remaining, pressed the Shakers into defending deep early on.

But with that pressure came the opportunity for Bury to counter-attack, creating glittering opportunities that Flitcroft rued after the game.

“They set off like a train, they set off with a real enthusiasm to come and attack us but it did expose them,” Flitcroft said.

“Johno's (John O'Sullivan) gone through on a one-versus-one, Leon's had a one-versus-one, Danny Mayor has had a one-versus-one and Lowey (Ryan Lowe) has had an opportunity.

“Johno's shot that Stuckmann saved was going right in the corner, I was right behind it.

“We have had chances to really kill them off as well, which has been our Achilles heel a little bit this season.

“I wanted to finish them off a bit earlier but again we were professional until the end.”

The visitors started on the front foot but Shakers goalkeeper Chris Neal only had a handful of routine stops to make – most notably tipping over Gary McSheffrey's overhead-kick.

Bury should have taken an early lead when Leon Clarke played O'Sullivan clean through on goal but Doncaster keeper Remi Matthews stood strong to make a smart save.

Matthews bravely stood up to a Soares shot in the 31st minute to deny the Bury skipper, whose close-range volley hit him in the face after Pope nodded down Hussey's cross.

But Matthews was forced off with a damaged eye and had to be replaced by Thorsten Stuckmann.

On the stroke of half time, Mitchell Lund gave the hosts a scare when he lashed a shot across goal and wide.

Kelvin Etuhu was introduced at half time following a two-month lay off through injury.

The two sides cancelled each other out at the beginning of the second period before Hussey played a horror backpass straight to Rovers striker Andy Williams, but he skied his shot over the bar.

On the hour mark, O'Sullivan was denied by a flying save from Stuckmann as Clarke held off four players to tee-up the winger on the edge of the area.

The hosts finally got the breakthrough in the 78th minute when O'Sullivan burst down the right and delivered a pin-point cross for the unmarked Clarke to volley home from 12 yards.

And it should have been two five minutes from time when Stuckmann missed his kick and gifted the ball to Danny Mayor inside the six-yard box. The winger cut it back to Clarke but Harry Middleton blocked the striker's shot on the line before clearing Mayor's follow up.

Neal was then forced into a game-winning save at the other end to deny Tommy Rowe two minutes into added time.

The three points moved the Shakers up one place to 15th in the League One table.

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Match ratings

Bury (4-3-3): Neal 7; Jones 7, P Clarke 8, Bolger 7, Hussey 6 (Pugh 74, 6); Mayor 6, Soares 6, O'Sullivan 7; Gardner 6 (Etuhu 45, 6), Pope 6 (Lowe 68, 6), L Clarke 7.

Not used: Ruddy, Sedgwick, Rose, Delfouneso.

Doncaster (4-4-2): Matthews (Stuckmann 37); Lund, Butler, Taylor-Sinclair, McCullough; Rowe, Chaplow (Mackenzie 87), Middleton, Coppinger (Tyson 81); Williams, McSheffrey.

Not used: Evina, Mandeville, Stewart, Davies.

Goals: Bury – L Clarke 77.

Yellow cards: Doncaster – Lund 45.

Referee: Michael Bull (Essex).

Attendance: 3,233 (474 visiting).

STAR MAN: Peter Clarke – The brave centre-half put his body on the line for his side and won every header and tackle that came his way. When forced to defend deep the experienced Clarke led those around him and was thoroughly deserving of the clean sheet.