BURY might have to defend their 29 game unbeaten home league run without SEVEN of their senior squad.
There have been almost as many players in the Gigg Lane treatment room as there have been on the training ground this week.
Long term casualties Rob Matthews (knee) and Dean West (hernia) are ruled out along with skipper David Pugh (knee) and midfieldfer Tony Rigby who has not trained for more than a fortnight because of tonsillitis.
Peter Swan (groin), Gordon Armstrong (thigh) and Chris Lucketti (head wound) all have more chance of facing West Bromwich Albion.
Lucketti who departed from Tuesday's Coca-Cola Cup defeat on a stretcher, with blood pouring from a head wound, needed four stitches but fortunately there was no concussion and he will be disappointed if he is not in the starting line-up.
'I feel fine now but it was pretty sore on Tuesday," declared the central defender. "It will take more than four stitches to keep me from playing. I had a good night's sleep on Tuesday night and rested on Wednesday so I hope to be back for Saturday."
Boss Stan Ternent would have liked to have brought in at least one new face this week but has again been thwarted by lack of money in the Gigg Lane coffers.
"We are down to the bare bones again but we'll struggle on," he said. "I may have to leave it as late as Saturday morning before I can name the side. I am hopeful that Lucketti, Swan and Armstrong will be available but we'll have to wait and see.
"It has been a good start to the season for us and we are keen to keep it going. I was proud of the way the lads kept on battling on Tuesday. We were more than a match for Sunderland in the second half and when you consider the difference in financial clout and resources between the sides it puts our achievements into perspective."
There will be double celebration after tomorrow's game for Chris Lucketti and Peter Swan share a birthday on Sunday. Lucketti will be 26 and Swan 31.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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