Skarz aimint to put right last season's Us debacle (From Bury Times)

Skarz aimint to put right last season's Us debacle

1:30pm Thursday 15th November 2012 in Shakers Updates By Nick Jackson

JOE Skarz reckons the bitter memory of last season’s horror show at Colchester is all he and his team-mates need ahead of Saturday’s return to Essex.

The Shakers capitulated uncharacteristically, 3-0 down at half time and eventually losing 4-1, in one of the lowest points of the last campaign, and the Bury left-back is adamant they will put it right this weekend.

Speaking after the 2-0 defeat of Portsmouth at Gigg Lane, left-back Skarz, pictured, said Bury were in perfect shape to avenge the humiliation of that defeat.

“Colchester was probably our worst display of the season last year,” he said. “So we’ll be looking to put things right. I know all the lads feel the same way.

“We will have had a few days off because there was no game on Tuesday, we’ll go down there on Friday and we will be aiming to win the game.”

The significance of Saturday’s defeat of Pompey, meanwhile, was not lost on the genial Yorkshire lad. “It’s strange to think we’ve beaten Portsmouth, who five years ago were playing in the FA Cup against Manchester United, while we were playing Grimsby in League Two, but I suppose that’s football.”

The 23-year-old is also reaping the rewards in investing time and energy in his own fitness during the close season.

“I did a lot of work in the summer,” he said. “This season I’ve been trying to get stronger, fitter and faster, but since the gaffer’s come in, everyone looks just a little bit sharper.

“It shows when you see in the Portsmouth game in the 92nd minute that Bish (striker Andy Bishop) is closing the keeper down and he has to kick it out of play.”