LINGERING injuries to key midfielders Kelvin Etuhu and Danny Mayor remain a cause for concern for Bury manager David Flitcroft ahead of tonight’s visit of Fleetwood Town.

Both players missed large chunks of the pre-season and while they have figured in the first three matches of the campaign, neither has been able to complete a full 90 minutes.

Etuhu, who has been plagued by a neural complaint, was replaced on 71 minutes of Saturday’s draw at home to Swindon, after which Bury conceded two late goals.

And Mayor, who scored the Shakers’ second goal at the weekend, had his thigh strapped in ice as soon as he left the pitch with 10 minutes remaining.

“Kelvin Etuhu and Danny Mayor are on a knife-edge at the minute in terms of being able to complete games,” admitted Flitcroft.

“I have got to get them to a place where they can complete the 90 minutes because they are two of our most influential players.

“With Kelvin, there is no way I would normally be looking to take him off when we are 2-0 up with 20 minutes to go.

“I was thinking about Tuesday night and how we manage him best to get him through that.

“Danny is the same. We’ve got to look at it and make sure as a team we protect Danny Mayor because he is one of our gifted assets. He’s our matchwinner. He’s someone different to anything else I have seen in the league.

“He’s good at what he does. He’s an executioner. He takes risks, he takes chances. First half he was sublime in the work he did getting into goal-threatening positions and he was clinical in his finish.”

Flitcroft has no other selection issues for tonight’s game as Bury go in search of their first win of the league campaign.

The Shakers could and probably should be sitting on six points following two action-packed draws against Doncaster and Swindon.

And after also beating Wigan in the Capital One Cup the Bury boss is more than happy with their opening performances.

“We go into the Fleetwood game with a verve, with a confidence and a real belief that we can go and take on anyone in this league,” he said.

“When the fixtures came out, on paper it looked a tough start for us.

“Doncaster are fancied to be up there fighting for the play-offs.

“Wigan are favourites to romp League One, and Swindon, who were play-off finalists last season, have already been smashing teams up in this league.

“Now we have got Fleetwood, who have been very consistent performers.

“When the fixtures first came out I saw it was a difficult start.

“But while we have not got the deserved points on the board I have seen nothing in this league yet to frighten us.”