RICARDO Vaz Te took his place in the directors’ box before kick-off at Gigg Lane on Tuesday night, sparking rumours of an impending signing.

But while the former Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and West Ham striker would be a welcome addition to the strike force, the manner of Bury’s first defeat of the season would suggest defence remains the area most in need of attention.

Summer signing Leon Clarke scored his fourth goal in as many games to put the Shakers in front in only the fifth minute, combining well with fellow new arrival Tom Pope, who provided the knockdown.

Pope was on hand again to tee up Tom Soares, who put Bury 2-1 up on 19 minutes, but Fleetwood twice came from behind to level in the first half and pulled 4-2 ahead after the break before substitute striker Danny Rose scrambled in a late consolation.

Bury also had former Everton forward Hallam Hope sat on the bench and injured front men Ryan Lowe and Danny Nardiello watching on from the stands.

So if manager David Flitcroft is intent on bringing in Vaz Te then you would imagine there will be some movement in the opposite direction.

Yet after shipping in two late goals against Swindon on Saturday and four more on Tuesday night, it is the back four that suddenly looks vulnerable.

Flitcroft acknowledged there was work to be done following a rare off night for captain Nathan Cameron and a costly error from rookie goalkeeper Christian Walton.

But with no real defensive reinforcements waiting in the wings, the manager’s work to address the problems in his defence may be shared between the training field and transfer market.

“If you score three goals at home you have got to have something to show for it, you have got to have three points on the board and we haven’t so there is a massive disappointment and I really want to understand why,” he said.

“We looked okay (going forward) but I still didn’t feel right first half, they penetrated us a couple of times and we didn’t feel solid, even when we were winning the game, and I have got to look at that.

“We got breached too many times.

“Nathan Cameron has been an outstanding performer for us, the most consistent performer we have had, but he has just lost his focus and concentration on two or three moments, and that’s not Nathan.

“I will redress that balance and get that sorted out.”

It looked like Bury could score at will after Leon Clarke outmuscled Fleetwood centre-back Stephen Jordan to get on the end of Pope’s flick-on to open the scoring.

But at the other end they were all at sea as the Cod Army forced eight corners in quick succession before Conor McLaughlin finally found the net with a header in the 17th minute.

The equaliser sparked a frenetic period of play as Danny Mayor had a tap-in ruled out for offside in the 18th-minute before Soares slammed home from close range 60 seconds later.

The end-to-end attacks continued as Fleetwood striker David Ball dragged a shot wide on 22 minutes before Cameron shaved the angle of post and bar with a header from a Hussey corner on 24 minutes.

It was no surprise, though, when Graham Alexander’s visitors levelled again before the half hour as Walton flapped at a low cross from Amari’i Bell and his fellow wing-back Tyler Hornby-Forbes slotted in at the back post.

Neither dressing room will have been for the faint-hearted at half time and both sides came out in a mood to continue the slugfest.

Leon Clarke and Fleetwood keeper Chris Maxwell earned a booking apiece for their part in a display of handbags after the restart, but rather than lighting the touchpaper the two sides backed off.

A missed pass by Kelvin Etuhu to Antoni Sarcevic sparked the game back into life in the 69th minute and when Andrew Tutte failed to stop the Fleetwood play-maker crossing from the byline Jamie Procter was on hand to put the visitors in front.

Bury’s chances of a revival looked to have been snuffed out on 82 minutes when Sarcevic put Fleetwood two goals in front from the spot after Cameron barged over Lyle Della Verde in the box.

Rose had different ideas though, showing real determination to prod home on the line six minutes from time, but the grandstand finish never really materialised.

“You have got to make sure that your concentration levels are at maximum for 93 minutes,” concluded Flitcroft.

“In League Two, at times you can maybe switch off and you don’t get punished. As you see, in this league you get punished.

“We have conceded six goals in two hours of play, so that is a worry.

“We will find out what is causing us problems and deal with that but you can never have a switch-off night in football and we did have on Tuesday.”

BURY (4-4-2): Walton 5, Riley 5, Cameron 5, P Clarke 5, Hussey 6; Soares 8 (Mellis 6 73), Etuhu 6, Mayor 6, Tutte 6; Pope 7 (Rose 7 80), L Clarke 7.

Not used: Rob Lainton, Hallam Hope, Chris Sedgwick, Danny Pugh, Reece Brown.

FLEETWOOD TOWN (3-5-2): Maxwell; McLaughlin, Jordan, Andrew; Hornby-Forbes, Della Verde, Ryan, Sarcevic, Bell; Procter, Ball (Matt 85).

Not used: Arestidou, Grant, McManus, Cartwright, Haughton, Sowerby.

Scorers: Bury – L Clarke 5, Soares 19, Rose 84. Fleetwood Town – McLaughlin 17, Hornby-Forbes 29, Procter 69, Sarcevic 82.

Yellow cards: Bury – L Clarke 48, Etuhu 75, Cameron 90+5. Fleetwood Town – Maxwell 48.

Referee: James Adcock.

Attendance: 2,992 (270 visiting).

Star man: Tom Soares – The man whose goal secured Bury’s place in League One on the final day of last season did as much as anyone to seal their first victory on their return to the third tier. The powerful midfielder did not deserve to be on the losing side on Tuesday night after a display full of running and purpose. His willingness to follow up Tom Pope’s knockdown for the second Bury goal epitomised his all-action display in a midfield that looked overrun at times. Soares’s passing was also crisp and precise in comparison to his team-mates’ on a night when Bury’s desire to retain possession was overtaken by the speed in which they pumped the ball up towards front men Pope and Leon Clarke.