DAVID Flitcroft admitted a poor first-half display was to blame for his side's defeat at Millwall on Saturday.

Shaun Williams' early strike was the only difference on an afternoon where chances were few and far between.

The Shakers boss switched to a 4-5-1 formation in a bid to bolster his midfield for the trip to the New Den, but he switched to plan B on the 37th minute as his side struggled to get a foot-hold on the game.

Winger Craig Jones was replaced by forward Danny Rose as Flitcroft pushed two men up front.

After the game the manager admitted starting with lone striker Leon Clarke proved costly.

“Certainly we didn't look right in the first 30 minutes. It didn't feel right, it didn't look right and I’ll take all the blame for that,” he said.

“I think I am disappointed with myself more than anything.

"We worked on a game plan this week trying to get Danny Mayor on the ball more centrally.

"I think he has been locked down in away games so that is something we looked at and it just didn't pay off, it didn't look right.

“I was trying to pack and support the midfield and get our pace out wide with Jona (Craig Jones) and Joe (Dodoo) and I thought we had enough but it just didn't feel right.

"It looked like we were on the back foot first half.

“Second half [we played] with energy and with an enthusiasm to go and hurt them and go and attack them and really be on the front foot and drive the thing forward.

“We caused them problems and they didn't get out of their half but the damage was done before the break.”

Bury started brightly enough as centre-back Peter Clarke almost headed the Shakers into an early lead inside two minutes when he connected with Chris Hussey's tantalising free-kick from the right but home goalkeeper Jordan Archer managed to scramble the ball off the line.

Four minutes later the hosts had their first chance of the afternoon when Fred Onyedinma was sent racing through on goal but Bury stopper Daniel Bachmann pounced bravely at the feet of the forward to save.

Millwall took the lead in the 14th minute when Shaun Williams, the Lions' stand-in skipper in the absence of Tony Craig, picked up the ball 25 yards out and unleashed a powerful low drive that beat Bachmann at his near-post.

With his side under increasing pressure Flitcroft opted to roll the dice before the break in an attempt to get back into the game.

Rose's introduction produced a slight tactical reshuffle that allowed Mayor to drift further wide and offered Leon Clarke more support up front.

The gamble nearly paid dividends nine minutes after half-time when Mayor's cross-shot teased the goalkeeper into rushing off his line before curling on to the roof of the net.

Bury were much improved in the second period, controlling possession and pressing higher up the pitch.

But it was the hosts who came closest to scoring when O'Brien came an inch away from prodding Gregory's cross from the right into the net.

Bachmann was called into action again in the 68th minute to halt Gregory's progress into the penalty area, before Bury substitute Danny Pugh stung the palms of Archer with a half-volley from the edge of the area at the other end.

The visitors came agonisingly close to equalising when Mayor drifted in a wonderful cross from the left which was begging to be flicked in but Leon Clarke and Rose both failed to make contact, despite their best efforts.

The Gigg Lane outfit rallied in the final 10 minutes but lacked that killer finish as Peter Clarke sent an opportunistic volley from the edge of the area well over the bar.

As the clock ticked towards the 90-minute mark Bachmann was called into action one final time, diving to his right to keep out Steve Morison's stinging drive.

And after a lacklustre first period, the Shakers boss was pleased with the fighting spirit his team showed in the second half.

"First half we didn't look right, the game plan was to work the ball through midfield and get a real foothold in the game through our midfielders and full-backs and grow the team up the pitch," he said.

"It didn't happen. We tried Danny Mayor centrally but it never worked.

“Sometimes you deserve what you get and I think if there's an honesty in this performance, a draw would have been a fair result.

"In the second half, it was completely one-sided and unbalanced, we drove the team forward. The players took it on.

"They played with a no fear approach that they didn't have in the first half.

"The second half, it was a no holds barred approach and we created chances and had impetus.”

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Ratings

MILLWALL: Archer, Cummings, Webster, Beaver, Ferguson (Chesmain 83), Onyedinma (Morison 61), Saville, Williams, Upson (Thompson 81), Gregory, O'Brien.

Not used: Forde, Martin, Nelson, Pavey.

BURY: Bachmann 8, Riley 6 (Pope 66, 5), Cameron 6, P Clarke 7, Hussey 6, Dodoo 6 (Pugh 69, 7), Soares 6, Etuhu 6, Jones 5 (Rose 37, 6), Mayor 7, L Clarke 6.

Not used: Ruddy, Nardiello, Eagles, Brown.

Goals: Millwall – Williams 14.

Yellow cards: Millwall – O'Brien 73, Saville 74. Bury – Cameron 72.

Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire)

Attendance: 8,311

STAR MAN: Daniel Bachmann – The young goalkeeper produced a number of fine saves from Millwall front two Lee Gregory and Aiden O'Brien that kept his side in the game. The Stoke stopper showed everybody exactly why Bury boss David Flitcroft was keen to extend his loan deal last week.