BURY defender Adam Thompson believes this week’s home double-header can act as a springboard towards League One survival.

The Shakers have a derby at home to relegation rivals Oldham on Saturday, with Latics having already sold more than 2,000 away tickets.

Bury then have a rearranged game on Tuesday night against Peterborough, who host play-off rivals Charlton in Steve Evans’ first game in charge on Saturday.

On-loan defender Peter Clarke is ineligible for Bury on Saturday as he cannot face his parent club so Thompson is set to come back into the starting line-up.

Former manager Lee Clark sent the summer signing on loan to Bradford in August but he returned in January with Ryan Lowe in charge.

The Shakers have since lost just once and are now nine points from safety with 12 games left.

“We’re confident of staying up,” said Thompson. “Our fixtures to the end of the season aren’t too bad.

“We know what we’ve got to do, we know it’s going to be tough, but we’re up for the task. If we keep performing like we have been doing under the gaffer then hopefully we can stay up.

“No one’s talking negatively, we’re all focused, and taking it one game at a time.

“After Oldham we could be six points off safety.

“Then this time next week it could be just three points.

“That’s why you have got to take it a game at a time, because it can all change so quickly at the bottom.”

Oldham’s trip to promotion hopefuls Scunthorpe was one of only four League One games to go ahead last weekend and Latics upset the Iron 2-0 to climb out of the bottom four.

That made it 10 points from 12 for Richie Wellens’ men, before Rochdale won 3-0 at Walsall on Tuesday night to leave Bury bottom on goal difference.

“Oldham’s manager went in and did a similar job to the gaffer here, he changed their fortunes around,” Thompson added.

“It’ll be the first derby I’ve played in up here so it should be a good atmosphere.

“But it’s just about results now. Good performances every week would be nice but we just need the three points. That’s our mindset for every game we go into now.”