Boston United 1 Bury 0: ANDY Preece has warned his players to expect a backlash from the terraces if the Shakers do not return to winning ways in their next two home fixtures.

Preece stressed at the start of the campaign the success or failure of Bury's season may be determined by performances in the first 10 matches.

The visit of Division Three new boys Doncaster Rovers on Saturday will be game number 10. Preece had expected to return with at least a point from this trip to York Street.

But Peter Duffield's second half goal - the first by a Boston striker in 777 minutes - ensured the pressure is now well and truly on.

The decision to substitute Paul O'Shaughnessy in the second half led to calls of 'you don't know what you're doing' from certain sections of the travelling Shakers supporters.

And while Preece believes the jeers were unwarranted he says:"You are there to be shot at.

"And I've told the players they are going to have to be brave now with two home games coming up.

"If things don't go right in the first 20 minutes, the crowd are going to be on the players' backs and they are going to be on my back.

"I can't understand why because anyone with any sense should realise if you took six of the best players out of the Manchester United side I'm afraid they would struggle as well.

"That's what happened to us in the summer and there is no hiding from the fact. A bit of realism should come into it."

"If the fans think it's going to be a cruise to at least the play-offs, I don't think that's realistic.

"It would have been realistic had we kept the players we had and brought a couple more in as well.

"But that's not the case and it's disappointing as a manager when that happens because you feel like the rug has been pulled under your feet."

While sympathising with Preece there was no escaping this was a game that could easily have been won.

Boston, third from bottom before start of play, possessed little of the quality shown by Mansfield in midweek and are arguably the worst side faced by Bury this season.

The Shakers were easily the better team in the first half as the new strike force of Gareth Seddon and Joe O'Neill looked lively.

And with captain Lee Duxbury more comfortable alongside Danny Swailes and Greg Strong in a back three, Boston rarely troubled Glynn Garner.

Seddon and O'Neill were both handed their first starts of the season with Preece opting to remain on the bench.

Seddon, unafraid to try his luck at every opportunity, carved out a number of good chances.

Paul Bastock made a couple of decent saves though Seddon should done better with another headed effort after Lee Unsworth had cross from the dead ball line.

The second half though was a different story. Boston brought on the more mobile Stuart Douglas for lanky Andy White and Bury failed to match the tempo they'd shown in the opening 45 minutes.

Within 10 minutes of the re-start they were staring at another defeat. Ben Thornley did well to clear a Douglas header off the line but his team mates couldn't clear the ball further upfield.

Boston knocked it back into the danger zone and the unmarked Duffield drove in a low shot beyond Garner.

Bury certainly went bold to try and rescue the game. O'Shaughnessy, who will miss the trip to Torquay after collecting a fifth booking, was replaced by a third striker, Chris Porter.

And momentarily Bury seemed capable of snatching an equaliser.

Danny Swailes headed over from a Thornley corner and from a Lee Connell centre, Seddon wasn't too far away.

But the revival didn't last and Boston finished strongly. Duffield brought a vital save out of Garner and Graham Potter fired over from close range after good work by substitute Mark Greaves.

Garner had one more stop to make in the final minute before referee Pearson eventually put Bury out of their misery.

"The confidence is low because we have lost two in a row now," agrees Preece.

"This was a game there for the taking if we'd stepped it up.

"At half-time I thought the worst we are going to get out of it is a draw.

"We just needed to pass the ball better, stop giving it away and shorten our game a little because we seemed to look for the long ball all the time.

"But then we fail to defend a corner and they go in front.

"We cleared the first ball from the corner but Shaughny takes a bad touch.

"The ball goes up in the air and who is first to react? They are. Suddenly it's in the middle of our box and they have two players free.

"It defies belief because you have to switch on until the danger is cleared.

"The goals we are conceding are so bad. If you put all our goals on video, it's a catlaologue of errors before they put the ball in the net.

"I've told the players they have got to be at their maximum every single game.

"If we want to compete in this league that's what we have got to do."

Boston (4-4-2):

Bastock, Rusk, Hocking, Ellender, Chapman, Potter, Weatherstone, Bennett, Redfearn (Logan 27), White (Douglas 46), Duffield; Greaves for Logan 77; subs not used: Croudson and Beavers

Bury (3-4-2-1):

Garner 7, Swailes 7, Duxbury 6 (Gunby 85), Strong 5, Unsworth 5, Connell 6, O'Shaughnessy 6 (5 Porter 61), Woodthorpe 6, Seddon 7, Thornley 5, O'Neill 5 (5 Singh 74); Subs not used: Preece and Kennedy

Goals:

Boston: Duffield (56)

Bury: None

Bookings:

Boston: White (28 mins foul), Weatherstone (51, dissent).

Bury: O'Shaughnessy ( 35 mins, foul)

4 Shots on 4

5 Shots off 9

4 Corners 5

7 Free kicks conceded 12

5 Offsides 1

Half-time: 0-0

Referee: Roy Pearson (Peterlee)

Attendance: 2,260 (186 from Bury)

Shakers man of the match: Gareth Seddon-looked the most likely to score with his shoot on sight policy.