CHRIS Lucketti bemoaned his side's lack of ruthlessness after seeing his side go down 2-0 at home to Fleetwood Town on Saturday.

A fourth straight League One defeat which left the Shakers 11 points from safety was down to lapses in quality and concentration at both ends more than a sizeable difference in standard between the two sides.

After losing 3-0 at home to Rotherham on Boxing Day, Bury did actually show the response Lucketti had called for early on.

But they failed to take advantage of a positive start and fell behind to another soft goal from a set-piece as Ash Hunter struck on 24 minutes.

Then just two minutes after half-time, Devante Cole doubled Fleetwood's lead and the Shakers never looked like staging a fightback.

Lucketti, who was still waiting for his first win and goal as Bury boss, said: “We started the game great and created some good opportunities. We're just lacking a goal, yet they had two shots on target and we lose 2-0.

“We could have scored three or four but we're not ruthless. It's been a problem all season. We're certainly not ruthless when it comes to defending our own goal, and the goals we concede, teams aren't having to work too hard to score against us at the moment. Their first goal was against the run of play and it's as soft a goal as you'll see.

“The lads are playing with a bit of fear and once we conceded that goal you could see a bit of life draining out of the team, and that's natural when you're in the situation we're in.”

Some extensive rebuilding work is necessary now the transfer window is open if the Shakers are to have any chance of avoiding relegation.

And it seems several loan players are set to return to their parent club, as Lucketti didn't name any in his starting line-up.

Danny Mayor was lively in the opening stages while Andrew Tutte and Jay O'Shea went close.

Former Bolton defender and Bury loanee Cian Bolger then headed wide before Fleetwood took the lead following a corner which found George Glendon, who beat Greg Leigh to cross for Hunter to fire home.

Bury replied with shots by Callum Reilly and Stephen Dawson testing another ex-Bury loanee, Chris Neal, but just after the interval, a hopeful ball over the top caught Leo Fasan stranded and Cole dinked over the keeper.

Lucketti brought on Harry Bunn, Chris Maguire and Craig Jones, with a low shot by the fit-again Jones forcing a late save from Neal, while Maguire volleyed wide.

Former Scunthorpe assistant manager Lucketti added: “I know everything there is to know about Scunthorpe but I'm more concerned about what we do.

“It's positive that it's a short turnaround. We can feel sorry for ourselves and be down but we have to look up, be positive and start again. There is no other way.”