AFTER the midweek blackout, the Shakers take on Stoke City tomorrow with Andy Preece telling his team to hold that thought.

Before the Wycombe match that never was, the Bury boss had spent the day telling his players it was a massive game and to go all out for a win.

He picked Jon Newby, Ian Lawson and Harpal Singh up front in a bid to get the goals to end a run of seven straight defeats.

And though a dodgy floodlight put paid to those plans on Tuesday, it will be the same message again tomorrow.

"It is a very hard game because Stoke are a good side but we really need a win,"confessed Preece.

"People we've played have said what a good side we are. But playing well isn't good enough. We need to get some points on the board.

"It was disappointing not playing on Tuesday because we were up for it and, with all due respect to Wycombe, we fancied our chances."

The club are hoping for a big crowd at tomorrow's match (kick off 3pm) because it is likely to be the last home match for a month which brings some cash in. Though the Wycombe game has been rearranged for Tuesday October 2, there will be few paying customers, with most fans using tickets purchased at the first game to get free entry.

With the Cardiff game on October 7 almost certain to be postponed because of the Welsh side's international commitments, it means after tomorrow, Bury will not have a match at Gigg until Chesterfield arrive on the 20th.

"The Bolton game we had arranged would have provided us with money to get through this period but that fell through," explained chairman Terry Robinson.

"The rearranged Wycombe game won't bring any cash in so hopefully we will get a big crowd tomorrow."

Talking about Wycombe, Tuesday night's match postponement has been blamed on a major electrical fault, a 24 hour repair job.

Referee Phil Joslin waited as long as possible but when the electrician working on the problem only suceeded in turning off another floodlight, the official decided to call it off.

"If they had said they could have put it on for quarter to nine I would have put it on but at 13 minutes past eight and the problem no nearer being sorted I had no option but to call it off," said the official.

"Obviously for the safety of the players we couldn't go ahead with the game."

Preece was gutted on the night, declaring: "It makes you think we were destined to win this game and someone didn't want it to happen. The lads were ready for it and unfortunately we can't do anything about what's happened."

The team tomorrow is almost certain to be: Kenny, Unsworth, Armstong, Swailes, Syros; Reid, Billy, Jarrett, Singh; Lawson, Newby.