Kevin Blackwell admitted Bury’s situation has taken on a grim look after his ten-man side hit League One rock bottom at Hartlepool United.
Craig Fagan was sent off just before the break but a Tom Monkhouse double extended the Shakers’ gap from safety to seven points with just four games left.
Bury have only won once on their travels since November, but Blackwell admitted he had no complaints with the red card.
“It’s been such a long season, the whole situation is grim,” he told Sky Sports.
“Fagan’s sending-off was rash – no excuses. Some strange decisions, but that was a red card.
“He had a long chat with the linesman and then decided. We kept going, had pressure at the end, but lacked quality.”
Hartlepool had failed to score in any of their previous eight games beforehand but it is now Bury who remain goalless in more than 180 minutes.
The Shakers are still to play fellow strugglers Oldham Athletic and Scunthorpe United but look set to join Hartlepool in League Two next season.
Fagan picked up his sixth career red card for a dangerous tackle on defender Darren Holden, moments before Jon Franks missed an open goal for the Pools.
Nicky Ajose had chances early on for Bury but Andy Bishop came closest on 55 minutes, holding off Jack Baldwin before curling a shot over the bar.
And Blackwell blamed a lack of precision for his side’s fourth consecutive game without a win.
“We should have been comfortable 2-0 up and conceded a soft goal,” he added.
“We’ve never capitalised on our play, it would have been a walk in the park and we made it hard for us.
“Nicky Ajose should have scored when he was put through when it was 0-0, you dream of chances like that. Not half-chances, clear chances.
“It’s the old adage that goals win games, we go one-up, and they were all over the place.”
Image courtesy of ESPN, via YouTube, with thanks
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