FOUR first team players are struggling to be fit for Bury's vital FA Cup clash tomorrow.

Paddy Kenny, Jason Jarrett, David Borley and Paul Reid are all rated at just 50-50 to start at Lincoln's Sincil Bank.

The injury news is a huge blow because Bury desperately need a win to give themselves a chance of reaching the third round, where a potentially lucrative match against one of the glamour clubs would await.

"It is bad news but it sums up the way our luck with injuries has been going," Preece told the Bury Times.

"Out of the four, Reidy and Paddy are the two who have the most chance of making it. Jason did some light training yesterday but Borley didn't train at all.

"We are desperate to get Borley back because he gives us something extra but it is touch and go."

At least Bury go into the match on their best run of form for a long while, after winning their last four home matches and moving off the foot of the table.

But in cup matches, the formbook goes out of the window.

Lincoln maybe a division lower but when the teams step on the pitch tomorrow, it will be a case of who wants it more.

And - for anyone who believes in omens - Lincoln's assistant manager is Keith Alexander, the man who was boss at Northwich Victoria when the non-league side dumped the Shakers out of the cup at the first round stage last season.

Speaking to the BT this week, Alexander said he was looking forward to the match. "I don't think anyone can deny that we deserved to win last time," he said. "It was a great night for us but we play pretty good football at Lincoln and we're quietly confident." Preece, however, hopes lightning won't strike twice.

"Keith knows all about us from last year and he'll be looking to get one over on us again," added the Bury boss.

"But what undid us at Northwich was that we didn't take our chances.

"In the FA Cup it doesn't matter where you are in the league or which division you're in, it's all about playing the right way. If we want to progress in the cup we have to be ready for matches like this. We have to deal with it and get through."

One Lincoln player looking forward to the game will be Tony Battersby. The popular striker used to be a bit of a favourite at Gigg Lane and has a similar relationship with the fans at Sincil Bank.

Ominously he's hit form at the right ime too, scoring his first goal of the season in Lincoln's 2-1 over Hull at the weekend.

The main dangerman though will be watching from the stands. Striker and five-goal top scorer Lee Thorpe is completing a seven-match ban after two consecutive red cards earlier in the season.

Ideally Bury would like to start with the same team which scraped a 2-1 win against Northampton on Sunday but given the injury problems that's unlikely.

No one from the reserves took the opportunity to impress the boss in midweek, after the second string were demolished 5-2 by Doncaster Rovers in what Preece called "a very poor" performance.

Ian Lawson and George Clegg got the goals, with both likely to be on the substitutes bench tomorrow.

Giant Mali striker Abdou Tangara, currently on trial at Gigg, came on a second half substitute and was one of the few good things to come out of the match.

"He did well," confirmed Preece. "We'll have a further look at him in training and watch him in another match."