DAVID Flitcroft claimed his Bury team must start showing their ugly side following Saturday's 3-1 defeat at home to Millwall.

Chris Taylor scored directly from a corner before setting up Steve Morison for the Lions' second goal midway through the first half.

Fans' favourite Lowe halved the deficit on the stroke of half time with his 200th career goal.

But Taylor netted his second six minutes from time to wrap up the three points for the visitors.

And after the match the Bury boss admitted he was disappointed in the manner of goals his side conceded.

“It's important you need to do the ugly side, that's just imperative to be a winner and to win football matches,” Flitcroft said.

“We have not done enough of that probably over the season – it's more than just the game today.

“After Ryan Lowe's goal we had a real ascendancy second half, there was only one team really pushing to win the game.

“At 2-1 we have pushed them but you have got to score at key times, you have got to make the keeper work a little bit harder.

"The game was defined in both boxes.

“They are very good out of possession. They're eights and nines out of 10 out of possession.

“They all get back in, they all get in shape and are really very disciplined and organised.

“That's been our Achilles heel this season because we have conceded too many goals.

"We conceded too many goals today. Three goals today, they were not a team that are three goals better than us, no way."

While Flitcroft wants his players win ugly on the pitch, there were also unsavoury scenes in the stands before the game.

Groups of supporters from both clubs clashed as the players were completing their pre-match handshakes.

Some fans spilled on to the pitch and grappled with stewards, and it took the police a couple of minutes to enter the ground and break up the violence.

“There was some sort of trouble before (the game) but we tried to stay away from that," said Flitcroft, whose side won the toss and elected to change ends, meaning his goalkeeper and defence did not have to start the match playing in front of the away supporters.

“I got the players over before the game and said 'look, let's just focus on the pitch, focus on what we can control' and they did that.

“They started really well the lads, I just hope there's no repercussions for the football club.

“Whatever happened down at Millwall it has cost the chairman £20,000 to stage this game today because of some nonsense that went on down at Millwall so I feel for the chair.

“There was a good representation of Millwall fans in numbers that came today and that could have been some money in the coffers but we will probably have to now spend that on expenses.”

When the football started the electric atmosphere was relayed on the pitch as Tom Pope met Lowe's cross at the back post only to see his looping header bounce back off the bar.

But after almost going ahead, Bury were suddenly 1-0 down as Taylor's fourth-minute corner curled directly into the net to give the visitors an early lead.

The goal triggered a spell of Millwall pressure

Ben Thompson found space on the edge of the Shakers' box before firing over and Peter Clarke cleared Taylor's shot off the line shortly after to deny the midfielder his second of the game.

After stemming the tide, Bury crafted a couple of half chances for Lowe but the striker, in search of his landmark goal, found Millwall keeper Jordan Archer in impressive form.

Just as the Shakers looked to be wrestling control of the game back from the visitors, a back-heel from Taylor sent Morison clean through on goal and the forward coolly slotted inside the near post.

Bury did manage to halve the deficit in first-half stoppage time when Lowe expertly converted John O'Sullivan's cross in off the underside of the bar, much to the delight of the Gigg Lane crowd, who joined in wild celebration with the veteran striker.

In the second half, substitute Sean Clare almost drew the hosts level when he turned two players on the edge of the box before sending a stinging effort goalwards that brought the best out of Archer, who turned it around post.

Millwall should have extended their lead eight minutes from time when Morison's header was cleared off the line by another substitute, Danny Rose, before Byron Webster nodded the rebound against the bar.

Two minutes later the visitors did have their third as Taylor drilled in his second of the game from the edge of the box to kill off any hopes of a Bury comeback.

Despite defeat, the day belonged to Lowe, who drew praise from his manager after the game.

Flitcroft said: “It's fitting because the goal was brilliant. Ryan Lowe-esque. It's a good pass and he hit it clean.

“It's a brilliant goal and I'm delighted for him as he totally deserves 200 goals. He's an incredible professional and he's been a fantastic servant to the club.

“In time to come, when his kids ask him what his 200th goal was like, he'll be able to enthuse about that one for sure.”

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Match ratings

BURY (4-4-2): Neal 5; Jones 5, P Clarke 6, Bolger 5, Hussey 6; O'Sullivan 6 (Clare 68, 6), Soares 5 (Brown 73, 6), Pugh 5, Mayor 6; Lowe 7 (Rose 74, 6), Pope 6. Not used: Lawlor, Sedgwick, Brown.

MILLWALL (4-3-3): Archer; Martin, Beevers, Webster, Romeo; Taylor, Thompson, Abdou; Onyedinma (Upson 59), Morison (Craig 90), O'Brien (Philpot 88). Not used: Forde, Edwards, Nelson, Twardek.

Goals: Bury – Lowe 45. Millwall – Taylor 4 & 83, Morison 33.

Yellow cards: Bury – Mayor 60, Soares 80. Millwall – Taylor 63, Martin 65.

Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire).

Attendance: 3,669 (914 visiting).

STAR MAN: Ryan Lowe – The experienced forward gave Bury a lifeline with his goal on the stroke of half time. It was a finish of the highest quality and a truly fitting way to notch his 200th career goal. The 37-year-old also crossed for Tom Pope to head against the bar early on and had a couple of half-chances saved. He was real live-wire and seemed to thrive in the absence of Leon Clarke.