GRAHAM Barrow believes that Bury's luck is due a change after a miserable September.

The Shakers completed a forgettable month by having striker Chris Porter and defender Paul Scott sent off during Tuesday night's 3-1 defeat, at Stockport, in the LDV Vans Trophy.

Bury manager Barrow was also dismissed from the dugout for disputing Porter's dismissal with referee Mark Cowburn in an ill-tempered match at Edgeley Park.

Defeat saw the Shakers end the month without a win, having lost four and drawn the other of their five matches.

But the Shakers could be forgiven for wondering if they have been cursed this season. In their opening 12 league and cup matches, they have had five red cards, conceded five penalties and scored three own goals.

Defender Colin Woodthorpe has received two of those red cards; having been dismissed in the Shakers' second game of the season at Bristol Rovers, he served a one-match ban -- and was then sent off again in his comeback game against Chester.

The double dismissal was particularly galling for Woodthorpe, who had been sent off just once in his career before the start of the season.

David Flitcroft had also seen red this season, before Porter and Scott were sent off on Tuesday.

In addition, Bury have conceded two penalties in the same game twice this season -- in successive matches at Bristol Rovers and Grimsby in August.

But despite their run of bad luck, Barrow believes that Bury have the strength of character to overcome it -- starting with their League Two clash at home to Macclesfield on Saturday.

He said: "It will turn for us, but we've got to believe it's going to turn for us.

"To lose Chris Porter and Paul Scott for Saturday is a big blow, but we'll have to play on without them. I'm asking the players to play with passion and with a bit of fire in their belly. I'm sure we'll start to see some rewards."

Barrow was full of praise for the spirit his team showed in adversity at Edgeley Park on Tuesday.

"I'm proud of the players -- they were fantastic in the circumstances and they didn't deserve that. It's time it went back to being a man's game."

But he is also looking for his team to cut out the defensive errors which have seen them give away too many goals this season.

He was particularly frustrated with the way his side lost 3-1, at Oxford last Saturday, having dominated for long spells.

Barrow said: "I think we played better football than Oxford, but nice football and no result is no good!

"It's a double edged sword; we aren't taking chances and are conceding soft goals, and it's got to stop."