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Bury Town: Away form the key to play-offs
KEEPING THE FAITH: Connor Hall is set to be rewarded for an impressive full league debut with another start at left-back against Leatherhead tomorrow (3pm)
BURY Town can push themselves firmly into the Ryman League Premier Division play-off picture, but only if their away form improves.
There are only five teams in the division who have scored fewer points on their travels than the Blues and just one team who have conceded more goals in away games.
But Bury manager Richard Wilkins — who is set to keep faith with teenage defender Connor Hall at struggling Leatherhead tomorrow (3pm) after his impressive full league debut against AFC Hornchurch on Saturday — believes a change in fortunes on the road is just around the corner.
“I think we’ve been mightily unlucky away from home,” said the Blues’ boss, whose side visit East Thurrock United a week later. “We’ve lost four or five games by the odd goal.
“Against Concord the previous Saturday, two decisions went against us and sometimes that happens away from home — you don’t get the breaks or the 50/50 decisions you maybe would at home.
“We haven’t played badly away from home — our football in the last dozen games or so has really kicked on.”
Despite a marked improvement in the Blues’ play, Wilkins hopes his players can find the defensive solidity that saw them concede just three goals — all penalties — during a spell of 10 games during the autumn, although he is reluctant to see it compromise the Suffolk outfit’s free-flowing attacking play.
“There is a fine line between being defensive and not conceding, and the sort of football we want to play,” he added. “It’s very difficult to play open attacking football and keep clean sheets.”
Bury’s injury situation continues to improve with Billy Clark, Roscoe Hipperson and Mark Coulson set to be involved tomorrow, although probably only from the bench. John Kennedy could be fit to start, despite going off after 54 minutes of Saturday’s clash against AFC Hornchurch with a rib injury.
The Blues’ only absentees are set to be Elliot Hunter (knee) and Danny Cunningham (suspended), while Callum Kearns will be assessed ahead of tomorrow’s game after suffering a minor reaction on his return from a long-term knee injury.
Bury (from): Bullard, Clark, Coulson, Garnham, Hall, Hipperson, Kearns, Kennedy, Leabon, Nunn, Nurse, L Reed, S Reed, Sands, Smith.
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Friday 25 May 2012
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