BURY are gearing themselves up for one of their most hectic months of the season.
Seven matches are scheduled to take place and manager Andy Preece is hoping to make it eight by rearranging the postponed Wrexham game for the month ahead as well.
On the back of Monday's 0-0 draw with Rotherham, the Shakers take on Cambridge at Gigg on Saturday and then face Kidderminster on Wednesday evening in the LDV Vans Trophy.
Preece's team battle it out away at Northampton on 13 Jan, then come back to Gigg for two clashes, first with Stoke on Saturday 20 and on Tuesday 23 the rearranged clash with Brentford. Swindon away on the 27 concludes the hectic schedule.
But sandwiched in the middle of all that is the money-raising friendly at Accrington Stanley on January 16 and - if Preece can sort it out - Wrexham also in that same week.
"We're trying to get all the games played and if we can arrange the Wrexham match for that spare week we will do," said Preece. The manager knows that January could make or break the Shakers season.
Three or four wins would rocket Bury up the league and would reignite their interest in the play offs.
And Preece is confident of stringing a few results together. He believes the confidence is beginning to flood back after the recent barren spell and he is pleased with they way his team is playing.
"We played with the right attitiude against Rotherham and with a lot of determination," he said.
"We've always played with the same determination but people only tend to notice if we're winning.
"The work rate was exactly the same against Rotherham as it was during our bad run when we were losing but the difference is that we are starting to enjoy a bit more luck and I'm looking forward to the month ahead."
It has been confirmed that midfielder Jason Jarrett, sent off against Stoke on Boxing Day, has been hit with a one-match ban and will miss the Kidderminster match.
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