BURY dropped back into the relegation zone following a 3-2 defeat at promotion-hopefuls Scunthorpe United.

Harry Toffolo and Stephen Dawson gave the Iron an early lead but George Miller pulled one back with his fourth goal of the season.

Josh Morris added to Bury’s first-half misery scoring directly from a free-kick just before the break.

Substitute Kelvin Etuhu’s strike midway through the second half sparked hopes of a late comeback - but Bury's poor first-half display ultimately proved costly.

The defeat extends Bury's club-record winles run to 20 matches and with relegation-rivals Shrewsbury picking up a point at Swindon, the Shakers dropped back into the bottom four on goal difference.

Chris Brass shuffled the pack and made five changes to the side that lost at home to Sheffield United on Monday.

Taylor Moore, who joined on loan from Bristol City yesterday, came in for his first start, as did Reece Brown, who re-signed after his short-term contract with the Blades expired.

Forwards George Miller and Tom Pope also returned to the starting XI along with goalkeeper Rob Lainton.

Ben Williams, Jack Mackreth and Etuhu all dropped to the bench while Tom Soares missed out through suspension. Jacob Mellis was also absent from the squad.

With so many changes to the starting XI, it took time for Bury to settle and they could have been trailing inside 25 seconds had Lainton not produced a wonderful save to deny Kevin van Veen.

Scunthorpe took the lead when Toffolo’s long-range strike took a wicked deflection and nestled in the bottom corner in the eighth minute.

Van Veen fired a warning shot moments later as the Iron began to warm to the task.

The Dutchman produced a sublime flick to release Dawson beyond the Bury defence in the 25th minute and the former Shaker drilled home the second.

Two minutes later it could have been three had Neal Bishop’s header not cannoned back off the upright.

The hosts smelled blood and tried to kill off the game by half time but Lainton had other plans, pushing Tom Hopper’s looping header over.

Against the run of play, Bury pulled one back four minutes before half time.

Pope slid 19-year-old Miller through on goal and he scuffed his shot into a defender before it eventually bobbled into the net.

Morris restored the two-goal advantage two minutes later with a 20-yard free kick.

Brass was far from happy with his side and made two changes at the break. Young Callum Styles was replaced by Etuhu and Scott Burgess made way for Mackreth.

The Shakers came out for the second half fired up and showed more muscle and aggression, which was severely lacking in the first period.

Bury looked more threatening and James Vaughan found himself through on goal in the 57th minute but he shot straight at Luke Daniels.

Miller was the next to threaten as he used his pace to find space down the left before firing a shot across goal and wide.

Morris whipped a dangerous free kick wide to remind the Shakers of the attacking qualities the Iron possess as Bury began to commit more bodies forward.

But the pressure paid off when Etuhu slotted home from the edge of the box in the 67th minute – reducing the deficit to one.

That goal forced the game wide open as Lainton produced a stunning double save to keep Jordan Clarke and Sam Mantom at bay.

Ishmael Miller made his first appearance in almost three months as he came off the bench for Pope late on but the Iron showed their promotion credentials by holding out for all three points.