A “MAD couple of minutes” robbed David Flitcroft’s Bury side what he believes would have been their rightful place in the area semi-finals of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

The Shakers looked to be coasting to their 10th straight win on home turf when, on 35 minutes, centre-back Nathan Cameron volleyed home his second goal in as many games.

But Bury’s backline imploded just as quickly as Tranmere’s attack exploded into life after Max Power found the bottom corner with a 30-yard free kick in the 43rd minute.

And after blocking an almost certain second Rovers goal just a minute later, debutant goalkeeper Scott Loach was soon picking up the ball from the back of his net when Danny Johnson tapped in what turned out to be the winner on the stroke of half time.

“I desperately wanted to do well in this competition,” said a forlorn Flitcroft, after watching his players fall three hurdles short of a Wembley run-out.

“I love the competition. I love how it has been designed to give clubs like ours the opportunity to get to Wembley and that chance is over now.

“So I’m a little bit frustrated, but there are a lot of lads tonight who didn’t deserve to be on a losing team and barring a mad couple of minutes when we just lost our focus we would have definitely won the game.”

Bury could not have been handed a better chance to progress after being drawn at home to League Two's second-bottom club - the lowest-placed team left in the northern section of the competition.

But the Wirral outfit have been an altogether tougher nut to crack since Micky Adams replaced Rob Edwards as boss in mid October.

Yet despite going into the game unbeaten in four matches, few punters would have tipped against a repeat of the battling victory Bury recorded over Tranmere on their league visit to the JD Stadium last month.

Even before Cameron’s opener, they looked assured and comfortable in possession, if maybe lacking a cutting edge.

The 22-year-old defender provided that, continuing his run after laying off the ball to Adams, who found him unmarked in the box with a lofted cross that the big centre-back side-footed home.

It was a real touch of class and should have given Bury a platform to build on, but they inexplicably found themselves behind just 10 minutes later.

The Bury wall parted to allow Power’s free kick to squeeze through and into the bottom corner, just out of the reach of on-loan Rotherham stopper Loach.

Tranmere were suddenly swarming all over the Shakers as their defence went awol, leaving Loach criminally exposed.

And after standing up to make one decent stop, the ball was again worked down Bury’s left and into their box to Johnson who, standing in acres of space, this time gave Loach no chance.

Rovers’ two-goal blast prompted an immediate response from Flitcroft, who made a double substitution at the break, sending on former Tranmere favourite Joe Thompson and Everton striker Hallam Hope for front two Nardiello and Rose.

The substitutions got into their stride quickly from the kick off as Thompson just failed to clear visiting keeper Peter Brezovan with an audacious chip.

It then took a well-timed challenge in the box by Marcus Ihiekwe to deny Hope – in for his second Bury debut following his loan return from Goodison - a clear shooting chance after he was put through by Adams.

The Bury manager threw caution to the wind, making his final substitution just after the hour, throwing on another Everton loan striker, Courtney Duffus, for centre midfielder Andrew Tutte.

Adams whistled a shot just over not long after, but the changes initially failed to dent Tranmere’s rearguard action as they comfortably settled into counter-attacking mode.

It took a jinking run by Danny Mayor to unsettle the Wirral outfit’s defence, but after picking out Hope the Mancunian forward’s drilled shot came back off the keeper’s legs and Thompson fired the rebound wide.

As the clock ticked down, Cameron’s far post header from Adams’ corner forced Brezovan into a scrambled save and the Tranmere stopper was on hand again to make a point-blank block with his legs to deny Hope from six yards out.

That proved to be the final flourish, leaving Flitcroft to rue his side’s sloppy finish to the first half.

“That gave them (Tranmere) something to really hang on to, but on another night a really sharp Hallam Hope would have got a hat-trick,” he said.

“We have had a lot of chances to win this football match and we’ve not taken them, so the two minutes of madness has cost us.”

The Bury boss does believe, however, there are plenty of goals to come from his newest recruit.

“Hallam has not trained for a few weeks now because the deal has been pending for quite a while,” he added.

“So we have got to get Hallam up to our speed, but there were some very strong performances tonight and I will take the positives like I always do, whether it is a defeat or a win.”

BURY: Loach 6; Cameron 7, Mills 5, McNulty 5; Soares 6, Tutte 6 (Duffus 6 62), Etuhu 6, Mayor 7; Adams 7; Nardiello 6 (Hope 7 45), Rose 6 (Thompson 7 45). Not used: Hussey, Lainton.

TRANMERE: Brezovan; Ihiekwe, Josh Thompson, Holness; Holmes, Power, Rowe (Laird 79), Jennings, Ridehalgh; Baggie (King 79), Johnson (Odejayi 79). Not used: Ramsbottom, Gumbs.

Goals: Bury 1 (Cameron 35) Tranmere 2 (Power 43, Johnson 45).

Yellow cards: None.

Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands).

Attendance: 1,842 (430 visiting).

Star man: Hallam Hope – The 20-year-old striker’s introduction at the start of the second half, along with Joe Thompson, gave Bury the impetus and cutting edge that had been sadly lacking before the break. They suddenly started to get in behind the packed Tranmere defence with a combination of intricate passing and the young loan player’s ability to ghost into dangerous positions. All he was missing was the finish, but after treating Bury fans to five goals in his previous eight-game spell at the JD Stadium that will surely come.