REJUVENATED winger Chris Sedgwick has warned midfield rival Craig Jones he will not be giving up his starting place without a fight.

The 33-year-old wide-man has started all four matches under caretaker boss Ronnie Jepson on the right of midfield.

But Jones – Bury’s regular right winger – was forced to sit out the first three games of Jepson’s tenure with a groin strain and returned to the bench for Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at home to Torquay.

And while Sedgwick welcomed his team-mate’s return to fitness, he is not about to step aside and relinquish his starting spot.

“You need people pushing you,” said the former Rotherham, Preston and Sheffield Wednesday midfielder.

“Craig needs me pushing him when he’s in the team and vice versa. It’s good for the team because I know that, if I’m not doing it then Craig will be in and he knows the same.”

Jepson faces a difficult decision ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup first round tie at home to Skrill Premier leaders Cambridge United.

Sedgwick has seized his chance after only starting one Johnstone’s Paint Trophy match under previous boss Kevin Blackwell.

He has formed a solid understanding with right-back Shaun Beeley, and was the stand-out player on the pitch in Saturday’s defeat.

“I never got a look-in under Blackie (Kevin Blackwell) for whatever reason but obviously Ronnie has taken over and I’ve really enjoyed it,” he said.

“It’s been fantastic – training has been spot on, the lads really want to play for him. He’s got the dressing room all pulling in the same direction.

“We let him down on Saturday, we know that, and we will be looking to rectify that against Cambridge.”

Sedgwick did not mince his words after the Torquay defeat, highlighting the team’s poor defending at set-pieces as their obvious Achilles heel after the Devon outfit scored twice from corners in the first half.

“It will be a tough game on Saturday – Cambridge are top of their league and will be relishing coming here after watching us defend like that,” he said.

“We wanted to build on our win against Wycombe in our last match, and had a great chance to do that and we’ve not done it, but we can’t get too despondent.

“We have still played some good stuff but it’s just these set-pieces we need to work on.

“The penny’s got to drop sooner or later or we’re not going to win – simple as that.

“It’s basic defending – get against your man. There was nothing fancy – the ball was swung into our box and (Aaron) Downes has got free twice.

“You’ve got to stick together but at the same time we’ve all got to do our jobs. If we don’t that’s what happens”.