Bury v Rochdale (From Bury Times)

Bury v Rochdale

7:00am Monday 1st February 2010

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BEN Futcher is hoping to come out on top against the hottest strikeforce in the division tonight.

The in-form Shakers welcome runaway leaders Rochdale to Gigg Lane and Keith Hill’s men bring with them a fearsome forward line that has already bagged 58 goals in 27 League Two games.

Bury know only too well what damage can be wreaked having been on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline at Spotland earlier in the season.

Chris O’Grady, who had a spell on loan with the Shakers last season, has netted 15 times already this term while his strike partner Chris Dagnall has 14 goals to his name.

“They have invested in their frontline and they are on fire,” said Futcher. “Their strikers are scoring lots of goals and it will be a good test for us but we have strikers in form too.

“It will be a tough game but you expect that in a local derby when your opponents are top of the table. We are looking forward to it.

“It’s the one game the fans look for first and you always get a good crowd and atmosphere. Both teams are going well so it has all the ingredients to be a good game.

“But it’s only three points at stake so we can’t get too carried away with the situation and there is a long way to go whatever happens. This one game is not going to decide if Bury or Rochdale get promoted out of the division but it is a big match and everyone wants to do well.”

Futcher is a veteran of a number of derbies and he admits he savours the special atmosphere cooked up by the supporters of two clubs that are just four miles down the road from each other.

“I have played in Lincoln against Grimsby and Lincoln against Scunthorpe but this one is big,” said the 6ft 7ins central defender. “The fans get passionate about it and we get our biggest crowd of the season for it.

“It adds a bit of spice that they beat us at their place earlier in the season and we want to put that right.

“We have won three games on the bounce and everyone is happy with the form we are in.

“We are winning games when we are not playing particularly well and that is important and a good test of character.”

Futcher, who is the veteran of five failed play-off campaigns in his career, has more reason than most to want to guarantee automatic promotion this season but he is refusing to set too many targets.

“We have to win as many games as we can, maintain our form, and see where it takes us,” said the former Lincoln and Grimsby man. “We need to worry about ourselves, take care of what we are doing and everything else takes care of itself.”

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