BURY will be looking to bounce back from a first defeat of the season at Burscough tomorrow - and they do so with DJ Pedro now a permanent member of the Shakers squad.

The striker has been a big hit since joining on loan from Buxton last month, scoring seven goals in nine games - including in last weekend’s 4-3 defeat at Lower Breck.

Boss Dave McNabb said it was a ‘no-brainer’ when he realised Pedro might be available to buy.

“He’s already become a fans' favourite and I’m sure he will continue to get the fans off their seats with his work rate and ability,” McNabb told the club website.

“As soon as a permanent move became a possibility it was a no brainer. DJ has settled into the squad really well since joining on loan.

“He’s a player we spoke to in the summer and have tracked for a number of years.

“DJ can play in a number of positions and gives us even more quality at the top end of the pitch.”

Pedro cancelled out Lower Breck’s opener last Saturday but the hosts hit back to storm to a 4-1 lead before goals from Patrick Jarrett and Tanaka Cherera set up a grandstand finish.

Defeat sees Bury drop to third place in NWCFL Premier Division, six points behind leaders Ramsbottom United but with three games in hand.

While McNabb was disappointed with the loss, he said there was no need to get carried away.

“Let’s not blow it up, we have lost one game in 22, so I think the fact that we are so disappointed, so angry and so frustrated shows where we are,” he said.

“We obviously have had too many draws but to lose your first game coming to the back end of November when you have played 22 games is testament to the players.

“It is the same group who won 8-0 (against Longridge Town), who were absolutely outstanding, so nothing has changed, we have not turned in to a bad team or bad player overnight, of course we haven’t.

“We just need to hit back, hopefully the weather is a little bit kinder to us and we can have a full week of training, re-establish some of the way we want to play, re-establish some of the requirements we need from the players, from ourselves as staff as well.

He added: “We are coming up to the halfway point now, we are in a good position, obviously we have got games in hand, but we can’t keep expecting to win those games in hand unless we perform each week.”

Looking back on the Lower Breck defeat, McNabb was unhappy with the performance, especially the opening 45 minutes.

He said: “I don’t think we were good enough first half, second half better in that we competed, one more first and second contacts but I can’t believe we are the point where you are actually congratulating lads for putting a bit of effort in but second half was better.

“I think on the balance of play and in terms of chances, I think we probably deserved to come away with a point, we missed some gilt-edged chances, particularly towards the end.

“But not taking anything away from Lower Breck, I thought they were excellent.

“The put us to the sword, they probably had four shots in the first half, which one of their lad put just wide, but then every good, decent chance they had, they have taken so they have been clinical and deservedly went in 3-1 up and it put us in a position where it is a tough ask to get something out of the game.

“But we were close but again really disappointed with the performance.”

“You can’t come to places like this and not fight. The desire and passion shown in the second half, it wasn’t there in the first half.

“You have got to win first contacts, you have got to pick up second balls, we just didn’t do it.”