CHRIS Brass wants more of the same when Bury take on Millwall at Gigg Lane on Saturday, despite setting an unwanted club record of nine straight league defeats in their last match.

The caretaker boss had the worst possible start to his rein last weekend, when the Shakers lost 5-1 at Wimbledon in his first game in charge.

Captain Antony Kay and experienced midfielder Tom Soares even had to be separated by team-mate Neil Danns at the final whistle as they exchanged heated words on the Kingsmeadow pitch.

Yet that simmering rage was channelled into a much more positive performance at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night, when nine-men Bury held out against promotion candidates Sheffield United for 93 minutes.

And while the Blades dealt a hammer blow, with former Shaker Ethan Ebanks-Landell scoring a cruel winner in time added on, the Shakers' gutsy display restored pride in the shirt.

The home supporters even stayed behind to applaud the Bury players off the pitch, something that Brass admits left him speechless.

“I’ve been here many, many years and I’ve never seen a team clapped off at Bramall Lane by the home fans," he said.

“To be clapped off by the champions-elect – it was a good performance.

“It doesn’t hurt in as much as they’ve given a performance that gets everybody proud again.

"But yes, the dressing room was hurting, which is what you would expect after the manner of the defeat.

“We still stuck to it and did what we wanted to do against a good Sheffield United side and we frustrated them right until the last two minutes and that’s even with nine men.

“That is what I would expect from a Bury side and that’s what the fans would expect.

“It’s an understanding of what is needed moving forward and it can be a good turning point for us.

“We have got a big game now against Millwall.

"Let’s continue to get back to what we are, let’s get everybody understanding it and let’s do it in front of our home fans.”

Masterminding a victory against a Millwall side that had moved into play-off contention before a recent defeat at Bolton and goalless draw against Wimbledon will not be easy.

Brass, who may only have one more game to prove himself after chairman Stewart Day said he wanted a permanent man in place after the Lions match, will have to do it without suspended midfielder Jacob Mellis and left-back Greg Leigh, who were both sent off in the 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United.

But he has been buoyed by the return to fitness of striker Tom Pope and utility man Craig Jones, who both requested to play on Tuesday night, while academy graduate Scott Burgess did a job for him in midfield.

“Scott put in a fantastic shift,” Brass said.

“Craig Jones got 90 minutes, while Tom Pope got some more minutes under his belt.

"They both put in a fantastic shift. They came knocking at my door asking to play and that’s what you need."