CHRIS Lucketti rang the changes but admitted his new faces could have done better after seeing his side Bury slump to a sixth straight defeat.

The long journey was not worth the effort for the Shakers as their demoralising run continued.

Goals from Toumani Diagouraga, Graham Carey and Antoni Sarcevic – as well a red card for Ryan Lowe when the men from Gigg Lane were 2-0 down – made it a day to forget.

Lucketti’s basement side travelled home after another dismal day 11 points from safety and without so much as a single goal in the last seven League One games.

“With the results we have had of late we need to look at different solutions,” he admitted.

“I brought new personnel in and I thought we had enough to get three points.

“I put three new faces in and all three are capable of better – but Connor [Ripley] did make some great saves – especially with the penalty which was a great save and it was unfortunate that it came back to their player to score.

“We need to be better and we certainly need to be better at set pieces, even if we have to work at them all day every day we are going to do it because they are a vital part of the game.

“We’ve given ourselves a mountain to climb but we have more than enough to deal with it.”

The Shakers were forced to soak up some early pressure as a superb flowing move from the Pilgrims ended with Sarcevic missing the target on five minutes.

A minute later, Danny Mayor looked well placed to give Bury the lead but Remi Matthews raced off his line to force a corner.

The Shakers then enjoyed a strong spell of possession, winning a succession of corners before right-back Craig Jones hit the crossbar in the 12th minute.

But two minutes later the hosts were in front when a David Fox free kick picked out Diagouraga, who headed home past debutant keeper Ripley.

Bury threatened an equaliser on 24 minutes when a Harry Bunn cross eluded the onrushing Zeli Ismail, who crashed into the post and was replaced by Lowe.

And four minutes before the break the Shakers conceded a penalty when Greg Leigh was ruled to have felled Reuben Lameiras – Irishman Carey scoring the rebound of his own spot kick.

Things went from bad to worse in the second half as, on 60 minutes, Lowe was dismissed for a challenge on Matthews.

Two minutes later, the Pilgrims added a third after Bury failed to clear a cross from Carey and the ball fell to Sarcevic who slotted home.

Lucketti expressed his sympathy for his side’s fans but was confident his squad had enough to survive this season.

“The players we have brought into the club – and the players that are already here – are more than capable of doing better than they are,” he said.

"You have to have that personal work ethic.

“I feel sorry for the fans, especially with the amount of travelling they are doing. The support they have shown the lads is fantastic.”