DERBY day blues stuck again as Bury suffered yet another local defeat to Rochdale which takes their hopes of avoiding the drop out of their own hands.

A fierce Callum Camps 30-yard free-kick was the only difference as the Shakers slumped to their third straight defeat on a dull night at Gigg Lane.

The two sides cancelled each other out for the majority but with only two shots on target the Shakers rarely looked like scoring.

For the first time under new boss Lee Clark Bury were booed off at the final whistle as the Shakers supporters vented their frustration at picking up only one point and not scoring in any of the five derby matches against Oldham, Bolton and Rochdale this season.

Although Bury remain in 18th place, one point above the drop zone, they must now watch their relegation rivals play twice before they return to action against Bolton on Tuesday.

Clark ditched his five-man defence for the first time as skipper Antony Kay dropped to the bench.

The Bury boss implemented a 4-4-2 diamond formation in which Kean Bryan and Reece Brown came in to bolster the midfield.

Striker Tom Pope was also handed his first start in three games, despite being struck with a formal warning by the FA two hours before kick-off for Twitter comments directed at Sheffield Wednesday striker Sam Winnall.

But on the pitch the towering forward was hoping to help fire the Shakers away from the drop zone.

Bury enjoyed more of the ball in the early stages without creating any clear opportunities.

Right-back Paul Caddis picked out Vaughan 12 yards out, but after the forward’s initial shot was blocked goalkeeper Conrad Logan held his second attempt.

Pope came the closest to opening the scoring when he headed Reece Brown’s corner in the 27th minute but Nathaniel Mendez-Laing was well placed to clear off the line.

But the Shakers stopper went from hero to zero with the final kick of the first half – a Camps 30-yard free-kick which fizzed straight into the back of the net.

Clark made no changes at half-time but nine minutes into the second half he had seen enough.

Manchester City loanee Bryan was withdrawn as Bury switched to a 4-3-3 formation, Hallam Hope entered the frame.

Moment later Hope’s first touch let him down as Bury wasted a two-on-one opportunity.

The Shakers struggled to break down Rochdale’s resolute defence so Clark used his second change to bring on pacey forward George Miller in place of Pope.

Wanderers loanee Tom Walker was Clark’s last throw of the dice but it had little effect as Bury’s fate was taken out of their own hands.

Player ratings

BURY (4-4-2)

JOE MURPHY 5

PAUL CADDIS 5

CAMERON BURGESS 5

LEON BARNETT 5

GREG LEIGH 6

REECE BROWN 6

KEAN BRYAN 5

CALLUM STYLES 5

JACOB MELLIS 4

TOM POPE 4

JAMES VAUGHAN 5

Subs: Hallam Hope 5 (for Kean Bryan 54), George Miller 5 (for Tom Pope 71), Tom Walker 5 (for Jacob Mellis 84). Unused: Williams, Kay, Pennant, Lowe.

Rochdale (4-3-3): Logan; Rafferty, McNulty, McGahey, Bunney; Keane, Allen, Camps; Mendez-Laing, Henderson, Andrew.

Subs: Andrew Cannon (for Joe Rafferty 77), Oliver Rathbone (for Jamie Allen 84), Steven Davies (for Keith Keane 90). Unused: Wilson, Vincenti, Morley, Kitching.

Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire).

Att: 4,850 (1,361 away)