Bury 0 Scunthorpe 1: BURY'S hopes of an LDV Vans Trophy final appearance at the Millennium Stadium disappeared on Tuesday night as they slumped to a silver goal defeat at the hands of Scunthorpe.

Iron substitute Paul Hayes slid a winner past Glyn Garner eight minutes into extra-time after a goalless 90 minutes on a freezing pitch which became more treacherous by the minute.

Shakers manager Andy Preece blamed Scunthorpe's winner on a lack of concentration in his own ranks.

He said: "It was disappointing to go out the way we did, but it was a tight game and there wasn't much between the teams.

"They broke away and scored straight from a free kick at the other end, and that's a bad habit we have.

"We just weren't organised enough to deal with the break and that's been our undoing.

"It would have been great to go into the New Year still in the competition, but one goal was always going to settle it and we needed to be disciplined and concentrate."

Chances were at a premium, with the visitors having the better of those that were created.

Veteran striker Steve Torpey might have opened the scoring midway through the first half when Matty Barrass allowed a ball from Peter Beagrie to run under his foot, but Garner blocked superbly.

The Shakers' best hopes of a goal came from second half substitute Joe O'Neill, who looked extremely lively, and twice raced clear of the Scunthorpe defence to force saves from keeper Tom Evans. At the other end, Beagrie hit the post from a corner kick and Garner twice had to save well from Wayne Graves and prolific striker Steve MacLean.

The Shakers began extra-time brightly, and both O'Neill and substitute Dave Nugent forced Evans into vital saves before Hayes' crucial strike.