Saturday 9th April 2016 (3pm), Gigg Lane, Sky Bet League One.
Rovers cross the Pennines for the second time in a week knowing that their League One survival rests in the hands of others.After conceding a 96th minute leveller in the 2-2 draw with Rochdale on Saturday, and with wins in midweek for both Fleetwood Town and Oldham Athletic, a real dent has been put in to Rovers chances of avoiding the drop; the best the Yorkshire side can hope for is to be only four points adrift of safety come 5pm on Saturday.
Standing in Rovers’ way will be a Bury side, whom on 51 points, are assumed safe for another year of League One football. And, while the Shakers current run of six games without a win will give the visitors hope, their own tally of successive winless fixtures now stands at fifteen.
The pair met on the opening day of the season in controversial circumstances. With the game poised at 0-0 in the late stages, the referee restarted play with a drop ball from which Harry Forrester scored, albeit accidentally.
Rovers manager Paul Dickov, aware of perceived lack of sportsmanship, duly allowed Bury to go down the other end and score a ‘free’ goal through Leon Clarke to equalise and give both sides a share of the spoils, thus pacifying dissenting voices.
Thankfully games between the pair have, historically, been a lot more straightforward. Rovers have not visited Gigg Lane for more than three years, when they lost 2-0 thanks to goals from Andy Bishop and Nicky Ajose in one of only four away defeats all season.
Rovers have only been victorious on Bury soil five times in 27 attempts, their last success was back in September 2003 when Dave Penney’s men ran out 3-1 winners; Leo Fortune-West, Gregg Blundell and Michael McIndoe on the scoresheet.
There is yet to be a 0-0 draw between the two clubs at Gigg Lane.
TEAM NEWS: Craig Alcock is suspended for one game while Mitchell Lund and Riccardo Calder were substituted in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Rochdale. Paul Keegan remains sidelined while there are doubts over Gary MacKenzie.
Attendance – 6429
Keepmoat Stadium
Football League One
BFC 1 (Clarke, 90+5)
DRFC 1 (Forrester, 90+2)
Last time out (Sat 8th August 2015):
Rovers: Stuckmann, McCullough, Jones, Butler, Wellens, Chaplow, Main, Forrester, Williams, Taylor-Sinclair, Coppinger.
Bury: Walton, Riley, Hussey, P. Clarke, Etuhu, L. Clarke, Mayor, Pope, Soares, Pugh, Cameron (c).
Head to head league results (in Bury):
BFC – 18
DRFC – 5
Draws – 4
WHAT ARE THE ODDS? BFC 11/8, Draw 9/4, DRFC 2/1.
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