BURY boss Graham Barrow believes a lack of discipline cost his side their second league defeat of the season.

Saturday's disappointing 1-0 reverse at the hands of struggling Lincoln City scuppered any chance of the Shakers moving into the early promotion places in the Coca Cola League Two.

Barrow's men struggled to come to terms with Lincoln's long-ball, physical approach and once they fell behind to a Matt Bloomer goal just before the interval didn't have the wherewithal to break down their stubborn opponents in the second 45 minutes.

"I can't fault the lads for effort and application although I thought we lost our heads a bit after we went behind," he said.

"We seemed to lose our discipline and could have conceded another, we needed to stay composed and calm.

"The goal was a real sickener, but we didn't seem to be able to get out of second gear in the second half.

"I'm not saying we weren't up for it - I don't think they had many chances apart from their goal - but it was a smash and grab raid and we've been done really.

"We had a chance to score in the first minute and if that had gone in they could have been there for the taking, especially as they were on the back of a four game losing sequence.

"But we knew what to expect and without being clever we got the game we expected.

"They play a high pressure game, it's not pleasing to the eye but it's got them in the play-offs for the past two seasons.

"You have to match them, we did up to a point and got behind the ball well enough, but when we broke away we didn't give enough support to Dave (Nugent) and Ports (Chris Porter)."

Barrow chose to give Canadian midfielder Terry Dunfield his first start of the season with Dave Flitcroft missing because of a one-match suspension.

But in retrospect that might not have been the best move according to the manager.

"Dave (Flitcroft) usually sits in and lets Dwayne Mattis and Brian Barry-Murphy get forward but neither Terry, Dwayne or Murph got up the field enough.

"It's easy to say after the game but maybe that's not the right combination.

"Maybe it should have been Paul Scott in midfield and Colin Woodthorpe back in the defence.

"But in fairness to Terry, he got on the ball and was part of our best football in the first half.

"I just thought, like the rest of them, he lost it a bit in the second half and moved to the left and right wings instead of being in the middle where he is most effective.

"But we'll bounce back just like we did after the Grimsby defeat.

"There's nothing between top and bottom in this division as the results at the weekend showed."

Barrow is this week hoping to seal a deal to bring Paul Scott to the club on a permanent basis.

The tough-tackling defender has impressed since arriving at Gigg Lane and is currently at the club on non-contract terms.

"Something should be done with Paul this week," he said.

"To be fair he was one who did come out of Saturday's game with credit and didn't put a foot wrong."