WHEN the dust settled after the disappointment of Monday’s defeat against Morecambe I am sure the team will have tried to take the positives from it.

That is the mindset you need in sport.

For me, the timing was the main positive – better to lose with six games to go, than when it really counts.

The players have tasted defeat and will do everything in their power to avoid that from now on.

Saying that, you can’t avoid the fact it was potentially an important moment in the race for automatic promotion, as it seemed Bury finally had their destiny in their own hands.

Hang on to victory on Monday and they would have been assured of a top three finish, if they could win their remaining games.

David Flitcroft will be urging his players not to dwell on that.

If you look at it another way, Bury went into the Easter fixtures seven points behind Wycombe and have narrowed that gap to just four.

It may look as if Wycombe have an easier run-in, but, as I said in last week’s column, games are not played on paper.

No-one would have predicted Wycombe’s defeat at home to Oxford on Good Friday, just as no-one will have put a bet on Bury to concede two goals in the final 10 minutes against Morecambe.

Pressure can do funny things to players at this stage of the season and these two results are a prime example.

It is fair to say Bury’s next four matches – at Newport on Saturday, Shrewsbury at home on Tuesday, Portsmouth away on April 19 and at home to Southend on April 21 – are massive as the majority of them have titles or play-off places in their sights.

The Shakers will not need to pump themselves up for those big games, while Wycombe will have to create their own atmosphere against opponents that do not have much left to play for and will have the same kind of freedom in their play Morecambe showed on Monday.

One lesson Bury do need to learn is to take their chances.

A tight defence gives you a platform for victory, but goals take the pressure off.

It only takes one mistake or a good bit of attacking play to turn a game on its head.

So Bury’s strikers must step up to the plate.

Danny Rose is back in contention, which is great as he is still the club’s leading scorer in the league.

And I can’t help thinking Ryan Lowe still has an important part to play. He won’t be happy with his lack of goals recently, but that game at Tranmere on the final day seems made for him.