Knill hails his fab forwards

4:00am Friday 10th October 2008

ALAN Knill is banking on more impressive performances from his in-form forwards ahead of Saturday's visit of Exeter.

Nicely perched in second place in League Two, Bury welcome newly-promoted Exeter buoyed by a midweek victory over Stockport in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

The Shakers are playing some quality football, with the excellent wing play of Michael Jones and Elliott Bennett providing the perfect ammunition for prolific strikers Andy Bishop and Andy Morrell.

Jones, in particular, has been a revelation after being released by Tranmere during the summer, and Knill said: “Michael has had 10 good games for us, he is an excellent player.

“It doesn’t matter what flank I put him on, he can play on either. He is really technical and can play anywhere. He would probably prefer to play behind the front two but that is not really a position for us.

“We’re lucky that we just dropped on him really. He and Elliott really complement each other and that’s the exciting thing. We think they are going to get better. I’m sure that excites the supporters because we have two quality players there, that’s for sure.”

Bishop scored his seventh goal of the season against Stockport, and is really looking the part alongside Morrell.

Bury have got a mouthwatering front pairing who are backed up by Glynn Hurst on the bench.

Knill said: “Andy is on fire and is very hard to play against.

“It’s hard to say too much about him really, because everyone knows who he is and what he’s about. He has looked back to his best in the last two games. He looks a handful now.”

Exeter are the latest team to try to end the Shakers’ unbeaten record and Knill is aware this is a tricky phase of the season for his team to negotiate.

“October is a very tough month,” he said.

“We have already played Aldershot who were seventh, we play Exeter who are now seventh, and we have got Dagenham, Rotherham, Luton and Bradford coming up. All of those teams are playing well.

“Exeter will be one of the tough games, but the good thing is that we go into the game full of confidence because we are playing well.

“I hope teams realise they are going to be in for a tough game when they come to Gigg Lane. It’s so far so good at home, but there is an awful long way to go.

“Our home record is something we are very proud off and we want to keep it going.”

Knill also accepts his team have learnt their lesson from Saturday’s game at Aldershot, where they squandered a threegoal lead before leaving Hampshire with just a point.

“Saturday was a big wake-up for us as a team and for me as a manager,” he added.

“Sometimes you have to do different things to win games.

“Against Stockport we went 1-0 up and kept the shape and we could have done that on Saturday instead.

“But we didn’t and we went forward and went for four goals when three might have done us.”

Bury have a clean bill of health, with Stephen Dawson and Efe Sodje, who were both rested in midweek, expected to come back into the team for Richie Baker and Ryan Cresswell respectively.

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