REPLACING suspended utility man Tom Soares will prove a tough task for Chris Brass when he picks his side for Saturday’s trip to title chasers Scunthorpe.

But the head coach has challenged whoever plays in his place to make it hard for Soares to return to the side after he has served his two-match ban.

The ex-Stoke midfielder picked up his 10th booking of the campaign in Monday’s 3-1 defeat at home to Sheffield United.

He has been filling in for the injured Craig Jones at right-back in recent weeks, and his absence is a major blow for Bury as they prepare to face League One’s third-placed side.

But Brass’s men go into the game on the back of improved performances against three other teams currently in the top six.

Brass said: “Having gone toe-to-toe with Fleetwood, Bradford and Sheffield United we now have to do it against Scunthorpe, who are up there as well.

“It will be even tougher without Tom, who has done well for us. But players are now struggling to get back into the team, as we have seen with (Jacob) Mellis and (Neil) Danns. Let’s hope that the level of performance is good again and we can keep Tom out.”