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Gigg Lane
Tuesday March 15th 2011
KO 19:45

Following what can only be described as a practice match against Shrewsbury Town at the weekend, TUFC head up to Manchester to face a Bury side flying similarly high in L2 as Saturday s opponents. Hopefully, the lack of meaningful resistance from the Shrews, the boys will be relatively fresh for this one and we might just be able to take something from this match.

Last 5 seasons

2005/06 – League Two – 19th place – 52 pts
2006/07 – League Two – 21st place – 50 pts
2007/08 – League Two – 13th place – 59 pts
2008/09 – League Two – 4th place – 78 pts – LOST IN PLAYOFFS
2009/10 – League Two – 9th place – 69 pts

Wow, Bury came from nowhere to finish in the playoffs in 2008/09. They were lucky (sort of) that we were so bad in 06/07, or they would have stood a very real threat of taking out place in the Conference. Two years later and they met Shrewsbury in the playoff semis. After 1-0 home wins for either side, the game was decided on penalties, a contest which Bury lost 4-3. Last season represented a disappointment for the club, which now has lofty ambitions.

Head-to-head

TUFC wins – 10

Bury wins – 22 (21 league)

Draws - 13 (12 league)

Well, well, well, aren t we useless? Our record against Bury is terrible. Earlier this season, they beat us 4-3 at Plainmoor in an entertaining match which saw us go 2-0 up, 3-2 down, back to 3-3, then behind once more. No points for guessing who conceded the penalty which got them back in the match (lookin at you, Branston). Historically, that is the greatest number of goals in this fixture, although there have been two instances of 6 goals being scored, Bury 6-0 TUFC and Bury 5-1 TUFC in consecutive meetings, albeit 6 years apart in 1961 and 1967 respectively.

Form (Last 6 matches)

Away – D W W D W W

Collated – D W W W W D

Oh boy, are we in trouble? Bury are on excellent form at the moment, with no loss in 7 matches since, rather oddly, getting turned over 2-1 at Stockport County. Interestingly, they were also beaten at Accrington Stanley, which suggests to me that they do badly on pitches resembling a ploughed beach. They have done well against sides from across the division and they are certainly not shy of scoring a goal or three. Our only crumb of comfort is that they are, perhaps, a little reliant on one man to do the business. In matches in which Ryan Lowe has scored, their record is P19 GD +20 Pts 43. In matches where he hasn t found the net P16 GD 0 Pts 19. They also look to be a combative side, with their top 5 offenders collecting 39 bookings and one red between them.

Probable line up

This is the side which started against Rotherham on Saturday.

01 Belford
• 02 Picken
• 03 Skarz
• 04 Lees
• 16 Sodje
• 06 Sweeney
• 07 Worrall
• 08 Schumacher
• 17 Bennett (Haworth 67)
• 10 Bishop (Holroyd 68)
• 15 Lowe


Players to watch.

Well, this won t come as a shock. It s the division s top scorer Ryan Lowe. Scored in 10 consecutive games just recently and, although he hasn t netted in two, he is always likely to pop up with a goal. Aside from him, there are goals everywhere you look, Efe Sodje, Steven Schumacher, Damien Mozika, Andy Bishop and Man Utd loanee Nicky Ajose all know where the goal is.

Prediction

I said Shrews to win last time, so I shan t bother this time, maybe 8-0 Bury, who knows.

Other important information

As BFC has kindly informed us, their local paper is running a £5 ticket promotion. Until I call on Monday morning, details are sparse, but watch this space for details.

They do have a forum, but you have to register for it before you can view, and it s 0130 and I can t be arsed, feel free though.

It seems we have Mike Dean officiating, I just checked and M Dean is definitely appointed to us and there is only one Dean listed on the list, on top of Andy D Urso on Saturday, is something fishy going on?

Matt.

Matt - top work once again.

If the saturday team gets on the bus to Bury I fancy a 0-2 with Jake and Tomlin filling the onion bag.
If however the tuesday team gets on the bus, then all bets could be off against Bury in current form.
I would hope that PB sees sense to keep the winning side (with the Bevanator) and winning system...

Looking at the Bury team I spot an old bogeyman ... Effin Sodya. He has caused us some heartache in the past - although he may past his sell by by now..

Time to get off the jolly old fence, cast the bread on the water and confirm

2-0 Gulls ..Jake and Tomlin in first 20 mins, followed by 70 minutes of the Alamo.

COYY

Sodje is suspended for Tuesdays match (10 yellows I believe), as is Picken. So their usual strong back four will be weakened for Tuesday. They're needing to get a CB on loan due to the lack of decent cover apparently - although only have until midday today to do this. Nevertheless, I'm sure they'd prefer a fully fit Sodje in the team as he also provides an annoying goal threat against us.

Bury have a very strong starting 11, but their back up is very thin, so hopefully we'll be able to capitalise on this.

Hmmm, I'm not certain that your information is correct Baz, my old sausage.

I have just checked the FA current banning and awaiting banning lists and no Bury player appears on either.

Interestingly, a TUFC player called Kirtys Mackenzie is due to be banned for two non-first team matches for a sending off in a game on 05/03/2011. I guess he is a PCC nipper, but my reservation is based on my disbelief that the FA oversees matches as far down the pyramid as this. Damon Lathrope is on there too, I remember the question being asked on here before about whether he was banned for first team games because of his sending off in the Devon Bowl. It would seem, from the point of view of the FA, the Devon Bowl is NOT a first team competition, since DL is banned for two applicable non-first team matches. Bucks said on the OS that he would be losing Damon, so there clearly was some confusion there, hopefully all sorted now, the last thing we need is another paperwork cock up.

Matt.

I think that FA list is slow to update, or suspensions from yellow cards are only confirmed on the first working day after the match. There's something silly like that, I can't remember the exact reason though.

It mentions Sodje and Picken here. Saw it elsewhere as well and from Bury fans on other messageboards.

http://www.burytimes.co.uk/sport/footba ... _0_Bury_0/

Just thought would look on your message board, and thought would sign up.

Sodje and Picken are defiantly banned, after picking up 10 yellow cards in the Rotherham game. Also Ajose is just back for the game and has not had any reserve team football so will be on the bench I would expect!

Just a quick question though, Ive had a quick look through your team that played against Shrewsbury. How many loan players do you have in the squad at once? Is the rule in fact 4 or 5?

Will be a major trek all the way up to here on a tuesday night!, and anyone who makes the trip should hopefully watch a great game of football!!

Welcome Whitearmy...good news for us on the suspension front, although Sodje has either been brilliant of awful against us - reckon he was ready for another shocker!!

We have six loan players on our books at the moment, and are allowed to play five - we used Stanley, Robinson, Tomlin, Murray and Pringle on Saturday, all in the starting line-up and I would expect similar on Tuesday.

All the best ... after about 9.45 tomorrow, allowing for a late start and injury time. If I said 9.30 we'd just concede another late goal!!

Sodje is just his usual self, anything in the air he has a very very high chance of winning the header and sending it a good 40 yards. Were hoping to bring in 2 new players today, but we have no idea/rumours of who these players are. At least your a team that seems to pass the ball well, im sick of watching teams come to Gigg lane, put 11 behind the ball and are happy to kick it into the corners and chase after it. With you seemingly need the win just as much as we do should be a good spectacle. Many on our message board are building it up to be our biggest match of the season. If we win we go 7 points clear of 4th with 10 left! Any positive result will do good for me!

Been saying it for past few weeks that I fancy you making a late charge up to the playoffs. I think you will get there.

Another tough game looking forward to the 11.15 start!! Think it'll be a very tough game but hopefully if we play like did Saturday we'll certainly give you a game however if we play like we did last Tuesday we could be on the end of a heavy loss!

Anyone else heading up remember Man United are at home tommorow aswell so it could mean more traffic than normal..

whitearmy wrote:Just thought would look on your message board, and thought would sign up.

Sodje and Picken are defiantly banned, after picking up 10 yellow cards in the Rotherham game. Also Ajose is just back for the game and has not had any reserve team football so will be on the bench I would expect!

Just a quick question though, Ive had a quick look through your team that played against Shrewsbury. How many loan players do you have in the squad at once? Is the rule in fact 4 or 5?

Will be a major trek all the way up to here on a tuesday night!, and anyone who makes the trip should hopefully watch a great game of football!!

In one match, you'd think they would have been sent off.

Hullo whitearmy, thanks for your visit and the information. We have a bunch of loanees, fortunately, they're all quality. We had one from AC Northampton, but he was shit, so we sent him back and he walked straight into their first team. Maybe the atmosphere in front of 90,000 people at San Sixfields gets the best out of him?

The rule is 5 in the match day 18 as far as I am aware, hence JOastler missed out completely on Saturday.
Don't be misled by the sending off on Saturday, it changed nothing, they were on the road to a good hiding regardless. I see that you also gave them a bit of a lesson earlier in the season, games against the better teams (I think I can say that about us, can't I?) does seem to be their downfall.

Basil, my fault for trusting the FA to have their lives in order, silly of me, I know.

Matt.

Well so far there has been no news if any Bury signings. Perhaps the webmaster has been on lunch, but I'm right in thinking any new signing had to be registered by lunchtime today.

Regardless of what happens, it's certainly a set of circumstances that give us a better chance. Although Bury undoubtedly have a good side - you don't place second in the table for no reason - there are very few teams who could accommodate the loss of 2 first choice defenders. Even bringing someone in now gives them little chance to get up to speed with the rest of the squad. And a player as (seemingly) influential as Sodje too. I just hope that Ajose isnt fit enough as he looks a real handful.

Regards the £5 ticket deal.

I have JUST spoken to Bury FC and the news is VERY disappointing.

It is not a promotion run by the local paper, it is, in fact, what Bury term a "Local promotion day". They are permitted two per year and Tuesday is one of them. The offer extends to HOME supporters only and ALL away fans will be charged full price.
I see this as very unfair. While I appreciate they Bury FC must take the hit on gate revenue and what-not, and that it is an opportunity for the home side to have good support, I hardly see it as just that a couple of hundred locals get in cheap, where as the couple of hundred TUFC fans who do a 600 mile round trip, on a Tuesday, in March, are 'rewarded' with full price entry.

With this in mind, I have just called TUFC and they confirmed that, when we have offers on (kids for a quid etc) that favour is extended to away fans as well as our own.

Very mean spirited of Bury if you ask me, I wonder if there is a case in law?

Matt.

Jeff wrote:Well so far there has been no news if any Bury signings. Perhaps the webmaster has been on lunch, but I'm right in thinking any new signing had to be registered by lunchtime today.

Regardless of what happens, it's certainly a set of circumstances that give us a better chance. Although Bury undoubtedly have a good side - you don't place second in the table for no reason - there are very few teams who could accommodate the loss of 2 first choice defenders. Even bringing someone in now gives them little chance to get up to speed with the rest of the squad. And a player as (seemingly) influential as Sodje too. I just hope that Ajose isnt fit enough as he looks a real handful.

http://www.buryfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews ... 39,00.html

Bugger!

MATT!

That is pathetic!
I feel embarassed and very disappointed in Bury FC. It would be interesting if we were playing Millwall, for instance, and their travellers all piled into the home stands!
Bury fans went to Lincoln when the local rag there had a similar deal on and a few bought papers and took advantage of the offer in the away stand.
I hope they relent, as you say, it makes us look very mean spirited.

Shame that only applies for home fans. Not sure what the usual pricing is for Gigg Lane, but I think a cheaper deal would be good for fans who have gone up there!

Highly doubt we'll have many, to be honest.