15th December 2000  

Shakers preview's

ANDY RITCHIE will send his side out at Bury tomorrow insisting: "It's as vital as a Manchester derby." Athletic are desperate to take the points from their North-West rivals and manager Ritchie believes the Gigg Lane showdown is one of the biggest of the year. "This is just as important to us as the Manchester derby is to United and City," he said. "It might be smaller in scale, but it's always a big game and there's always a good atmosphere. "Although every match is important, local derbies have an edge to them _ which we saw there last season when they equalised at the end. "Bury haven't been going too well, but we need to show the same form and alertness which has brought us a better run of results." Athletic have won five of their last eight league games, while The Shakers recently suffered a run of 10 consecutive defeats. And Athletic could also be lifted by the return of their inspirational captain, Lee Duxbury. 

The experienced midfielder strained a hamstring a fortnight ago and wasn't expected to be back until next week at the earliest. But his recovery has been good and he will undergo a late fitness test before Ritchie names his side. The manager's main concern is at right-back, where Paul Jones and Barry Prenderville have picked up injuries in the last two games. Ritchie has two obvious options _ to move Paul Rickers back from midfield or switch Scott McNiven from centre-back. The first alternative could depend on Duxbury's fitness, while the second may bring problems as McNiven has been superb in recent weeks. There is cover for the heart of defence, though, as Mark Hotte and Andrew Holt are both in the squad.

Athletic (from): Kelly, McNiven, Garnett, Hotte, Innes, Holt, Rickers, Boshell, Carss, Eyres, Sheridan, Salt, Duxbury, Corazzin, Dudley, Allott, Tipton, Miskelly. 

Bury could welcome back former Athletic striker Adrian Littlejohn, who has had flu and an Achilles injury. Littlejohn is the joint-top scorer with four goals and is likely to start if declared fit. Two other familiar names are in the squad, with Paul Reid and Steve Redmond among 18 players vying to make the final line-up.

Bury (from): Kenny, Unsworth, Swailes, Hill, Jarrett, Forrest, Reid, Armstrong, Barnes, Smith, Redmond, James, Daws, Billy, Preece, Halford, Littlejohn, Collins. 

Teamtalk Oldham

Skipper Lee Duxbury faces a late fitness test before Andy Ritchie finalises his starting line up for the crunch clash at Bury tomorrow. The 31-year-old midfielder was thought to have suffered a hamstring injury in the recent win over Oxford United which would keep him out for three weeks, but he has made such good progress that it is now thought to have been a spasm or even cramp. Duxbury joined the rest of the first team squad in training on Friday morning and Ritchie said: "We will wait to see how he goes. Lee will have a very late fitness test, but if there is any doubt then he won't be risked. "We have six games in 17 days starting Saturday and we are going to need all the bodies we can get." The Latics have lost just two of their last eight games, and Ritchie reckons Bury will be a tough test. He explained: "They have had a poor run recently but our reports suggest they have not been playing badly and deserve better results - a bit like us earlier in the season. "It may not be as big as the Manchester derby but it has the same passion for the fans and it also gets to the players. "It is going to be a difficult game and we won't be making the mistake of under estimating them." Paul Rickers will probably drop to right back in place of the injured Barry Prenderville with striker Mark Allott taking over his role on the right of midfield. Ritchie will want to keep his successful 4-4-2 formation and the Latics will probably line up: Kelly, Rickers, Garnett, McNiven, Innes, Allott, Boshell or Duxbury, Carss, Eyres, Corazzin, Dudley.

More bad weather has hampered repair work on the Boundary Park pitch, with frost being the latest problem. On the first day of the £24,000 project, torrential rain meant that only one of the new gravel-slit drains had been laid - and 24 need doing. Work has fallen 24 hours behind schedule and, at the moment, the playing-surface is looking more like a building site. There are also concerns about the damage heavy machinery can cause and protective boards have been placed on the ground. Contractors will work through the weekend assisted by the Latics ground staff and they are hopeful they can win the race to have the pitch ready in time for Tuesday night's second round FA Cup replay against Peterborough.

Teamtalk Bury

Chris Billy's reserve team outing looks like earning him a recall for Saturday's derby clash with Oldham at Gigg Lane. The 29-year-old was one of five Shakers on the mark in an easy 5-0 romp over Scarborough on Wednesday - Lutel James, Darren Bullock, Adrian Littlejohn and player-boss Andy Preece were the others. But it was his fitness, rather than an eye for goal, that will have pleased Preece and probably restored him to the team. Nick Daws also came through that reserve outing, as did Littlejohn after recovering from a virus, and that pair are also in the running for a place in the starting line-up. It could mean no place for experienced Darren Bullock who still does not look fully match fit. As well as whether Littlejohn or Paul Barnes plays up front, the other big issue revolves around youngster Chris Armstrong and whether he will keep the left-back position, assuming Dean Barrick is over a niggly injury that sidelined him earlier this week.

Bury: Kenny, Unsworth, C. Swailes, Redmond, Barrick, Reid, Daws, Jarrett, Billy, Smith, Barnes

The draw for the 2nd round of the LDV Vans Trophy will be made tomorrow morning. Bury are in the Northern section of the draw which will take place at 10.00am. The ties are due to be played week commencing January 8th.

Express Sport Live

Trio out for Shakers, Latics looking to improve things

Bury player-manager Andy Preece will be without three players for the clash with Oldham. Danny Swailes (knee) and Steve Halford (ankle) have failed to shake off their injuries, while Matt Barrass faces three months on the sidelines following knee surgery. But Preece will be hoping last week's LDV Vans Trophy victory against Mansfield will have boosted his players confidence after a run of 10 games without a win. Preece said: "It's an important game for us. It's a local derby and a game we need to win. The confidence is coming back and hopefully a win will set us off." Meanwhile, Oldham make the short trip to Bury hoping to add to their local rivals' recent league woes. The Shakers have not won in the Second Division since early October and Latics boss Andy Ritchie hopes they do not start to improve on that record for at least another week. Ritchie is without defender Barry Prenderville (hamstring) for the clash and midfielder Lee Duxbury (hamstring) faces a fitness test. Ritchie said: "They have not had the best of runs recently. They have just not been getting the results but it is a big game for us. "Games like this mean a lot to the fans and it will be a tough game."

Shakers on line

After receiving a "Frost Warning" from the Met Office, Groundsman Mike Curtis has spent the day preparing the pitch for tomorrow's derby game against Oldham Athletic. The pitch has had close attention to certain area's and is to be covered overnight.  Thursday night's Manchester United reserve game was postponed at the request of the Gigg Lane club in order to treat the surface after the recent Bury reserve game against Scarborough that was held there. All being well, the pitch should be OK for the game on Saturday.

Top Scorer Adrian Littlejohn could be back from his sick bed to lead the attack against his old club in tomorrow's crunch derby against Oldham.  Littlejohn, on target four times this season, recovered from flu and a troublesome Achilles injury to score for the reserves in Wednesday's 5-0 drubbing of Scarborough.  But neither he nor anyone else is certain of a place tomorrow in what must be Andy Preece's toughest choice of the year.

A virtual first team played for the reserves in midweek and now the  boss must decide whether to stick with youth or return to the old guard.  The chances are that there will be a compromise with Jason Jarrett and Chris Armstrong strong favourites to start.  Littlejohn, Paul Reid and Steve Redmond are especially keen to play because they all joined Bury from Oldham, following in former manager Neil Warnock's footsteps.

But Preece has no easy choices.  "I've got about two or three teams in my mind, it's very difficult," admitted the Bury boss.  "It's a big game and all the lads are wound up for it.  If I have to leave anyone out I expect them to accept it and get on with things.  I've left players like Sam Collins, Paul Reid and Paul; Barnes out this season and they've taken it in the right way .

"If anyone was left out on Saturday I don't think they could complain, given the fact that we'd gone 10 games without a win before last Saturday."  A win for Oldham tomorrow would take them above the Shakers - an astonishing fact considering that, in the second week of October, Bury were second top and Oldham were second bottom.  While Bury have  nose-dived since then, Oldham have suffered just 2 defeats and boss Andy Ritchie is in a confident mood ahead of tomorrow's showdown.  Latics could also welcome back influential captain Lee Duxbury who has missed two games with a hamstring problem.