Phil Thorp with the Big Match Verdict

NORTHAMPTON 2, SHAKERS 0: IF the Shakers want an idea for a New Year's resolution they could do worse than attempt to keep eleven men on the field in 2005.

Because their unerring ability to give the opposition a numerical advantage shows no sign of stopping. . . and it's in danger of screwing up the season.

They were at it again at Sixfields on Tuesday afternoon, when they went down to a disappointing defeat there for the second time this month, but this one can only be filed in the box marked "preventable".

In the first week of December Graham Barrow's men returned from Northampton after an unlucky and costly 1-0 FA Cup second round defeat.

And while one or two contentious refereeing decisions could be laid at the door for that reverse, this one could only be put down as self-inflicted.

For the third time in four games they ended up with a player sent off, when Dave Flitcroft received a second yellow card in first half stoppage time for a second rash challenge on David Rowson.

The other two players given their marching orders in recent weeks, Danny Swailes and Colin Woodthorpe were both suspended from the game.

Five minutes earlier, the Northampton man had put his side into the lead with a well struck free-kick from the edge of the box.

Whether a certain amount of frustration took Flitcroft over is open to speculation, as prior to Rowson's strike the Shakers had two gilt-edge chances to take the lead.

Both were carved out by the impressive Jon Newby who started the game after Chris Porter failed a fitness test on his knee.

For the first, in the 20th minute, he put in an excellent cross on the run from the left that leading scorer Dave Nugent met at pace on the edge of the six yard box.

However, stretching for the ball the Shakers striker could only direct it against the bar and away.

Two minutes before Bury fell behind, an even easier opening went begging when Newby, turning up in the inside right channel, jinked to lose his marker before drilling over a ball that evaded Nugent but fell kindly for Brian Barry-Murphy.

But from five yards out the Irishman amazingly steered it across the face of an open goal and wide when it looked easier to score.

Flitcroft's dismissal changed the face of the game and manager Graham Barrow was far from impressed with his player.

"Dave was a disgrace," he declared.

"He put me in a strange situation when I wondered whether to take him off after he's been booked.

"But a lad of his experience should know better than to risk another challenge like that.

"I even contacted Brian Barry-Murphy to tell him to take it easy."

Barrow shuffled his pack in the second half, taking off the unlucky Newby to be replaced by midfielder Simon Whaley, then introducing schemer Terry Dunfield for full-back Tom Kennedy.

However, minutes later, with the Bury defence re-organising, a fine ball by Martin Smith got dangerman Josh Low clear and he was able to steer past Andy Marriott in goal.

"The game is hard enough 11 v 1 at places like Northampton without going down to 10 men," added Barrow.

"We played some good football in the first half and created some great chances, but it's becoming a bad habit shooting ourselves in the foot and it's going to have to stop.

"It's difficult to assess performances when you are finishing with ten men all the time."

Even though they boasted the extra man, the only efforts Marriott had to keep him occupied in the second period were from distance.

Meanwhile, Nugent was twice given a sight of goal midway through the half firing wide and high with rushed efforts.

Captain Dave Challinor almost reduced the arrears with a snap shot following a free kick routine involving Barry-Murphy and substitute Terry Dunfield, but his effort drifted wide of the post.

"We've lost twice at Northampton now and probably deserved something out of both games, said the skipper.

"In the first half they had a good deal of possession but didnt really cause us any problems.

"In fact, we had the two best chances of the game but didn't stick them away.

"It was always going to be an uphill battle after the sending off, though."