BURY'S bid to get out of their current slump almost resulted in a well-deserved point.

But it's a case of if it can go wrong it will go wrong at the moment and the Shakers were left to rue an 86th-minute winner for Scunthorpe which undid all their hard work.

Manager Chris Lucketti was left dumbfounded after seeing the cruel late blow condemn his side to a fifth straight defeat.

The hosts went into the New Year's Day clash fourth in League One after taking seven points from nine over Christmas, but a Bury side which featured five changes frustrated them for long periods.

The Shakers also made more shooting opportunities, without creating any clearcut chances, so deserved at least a draw at Glanford Park.

But defender Charlie Goode bundled in an 86th-minute winner for the Iron to keep Bury 11 points from safety at the bottom of the table.

“We were very good,” said Lucketti. “I thought we were the better side so I can't believe we've lost that game.

“One of their lads was two yards offside from the free kick and I can't believe the linesman didn't give it.

“We all know how well we've played. We defended and attacked well as a team.

“We were on the front foot, we passed the ball well and the lads worked hard for each other, so the lads are devastated inside the dressing room.”

Although Bury were the better side, virtually all their shots were from outside the box and the Shakers haven't scored now in six league games since Lucketti left the assistant manager's job at Scunthorpe to become Bury boss six weeks ago.

Given his recent history with the Iron, Lucketti said after Saturday's home defeat by Fleetwood that he knew everything there was to know about Scunthorpe.

So expecting them to play with a man behind the front two, Lucketti deployed Callum Reilly as a holding midfielder to shackle ex-Bury loanee Duane Holmes and shield his defence.

In front of Reilly, the four players across the Shakers' midfield all came into the side and before they got used to the new system, Holmes was twice off target from 20 yards while Connor Townsend fired wide.

But Harry Bunn's deflected shot earned Bury the game's first corner and the Shakers kept the pressure on with Neil Danns' 25-yard strike forcing a decent save from Matt Gilks.

Craig Jones then headed over from a Greg Leigh cross while Reilly tested Gilks with two efforts from distance as Bury finished the half on top.

The Shakers continued to make it difficult for Scunthorpe after the break and the home crowd began to voice their frustration. Holmes then livened things up with a mazy run from inside his own half before unleashing a dipping shot which was parried by Leo Fasan.

Bury then began to play with greater fluency and enjoyed some time in the home half. Bunn and lone striker Michael Smith fired straight at Gilks from outside the box before Holmes was surprisingly replaced on 65 minutes, a decision which was booed by some home fans.

Phil Edwards then fired wide while Bunn shot straight at Gilks, but again both efforts were from distance.

Then with time running out, Josh Morris delivered a free kick into the Bury box, the Shakers failed to clear and Goode ended a goalmouth scramble by stabbing in the winner from close range.

Chris Maguire came off the bench and delivered a teasing free kick into the danger zone at the death but Scunthorpe managed to clear and hang on for the three points.

While Lucketti was disappointed with the manner of their winner, he was encouraged by his side's performance.

“I thought the lads that came in were terrific,” he added. “Neil Danns and Craig Jones, in particular, were superb. They haven't played for a while and I thought they were excellent.

“I've said to the boys, 'that's the standard that you've set yourselves, and I can only have a go at you when you fall below those standards'.

“We've got to keep playing like that defensively, week in week out, and we need to start producing at the other end of the pitch as well.”