Pope blasts Bury’s ‘crumbling’ performances

(Picture: Action Images)

Bury striker Tom Pope has bemoaned the performances of his team after defeat at Wimbledon on Saturday stretched their winless run to 12 matches.

The 5-1 reverse at Kingsmeadow was the eighth defeat the Shakers have suffered in a row, and a sign of the form that cost David Flitcroft his job last week.

However, despite the ex-Barnsley man overseeing such an awful run, Pope said the result on Saturday highlights how the former boss had little to do with their current plight.

“If the fans thought it was the manager and we weren’t playing for him, then that performance has shown it has got nothing to do with the manager, coaching or what we do out on the training pitch,” said Pope.

The weekend’s thrashing occurred just four days after Wimbledon dumped Bury out of the FA Cup, with a similarly embarrassing 5-0 mauling, and Pope’s team have now conceded 14 goals in their last three games.

Three of those 14 goals came within three minutes on Saturday, and the striker said: “We’ve got no excuses now.

“They’re schoolboy goals as you can’t concede a goal and then two within a minute, that can’t be coached that’s just down to mental attitude and at the minute we’re crumbling.”

The Shakers were second in September, with Flitcroft being named the manager of the month, but they haven’t tasted success since; tomorrow’s trip to Sheffield United is going to be tough.