BURY slipped to just one place above the League Two drop zone after relegation rivals took advantage of the late postponement of their match at Accrington Stanley due to a waterlogged pitch.

Portsmouth, Wycombe Wanderers and Bristol Rovers all moved above the Shakers after picking up points on Saturday.

But Bury boss David Flitcroft was happy to get the chance to return to the Store First Stadium, rather than risk dropping valuable points due to the soggy conditions.

“I didn’t want this game to be a farce - I wanted it to be a proper footballing contest,” said Flitcroft, whose side went into the match a point below Accrington in the table.

“I didn’t want to lose the game on a mistake, with the ball not running true, or a player getting smashed and being out for the rest of the season.

“The referee has got a duty of care to both sets of players and I’ve got a duty of care to my football team.

“How would we all have felt if a back-pass didn’t roll through, the keeper misses it and we get beat or don’t get three points? That would have been a travesty.”

Referee Kevin Wright called off Saturday’s game at 2.15pm following a lengthy pitch inspection triggered by a torrential downpour that left pools of standing water along the touchline bordering the main stand and in the near corner flags.

And while disappointed fans of both sides voiced their frustrations outside the ground after being turned away at the turnstiles, Flitcroft was adamant the Cambridgeshire official got it "spot on".

Flitcroft’s counterpart, Stanley boss James Beattie, agreed.

“We didn’t want the game to be won on a mistake because it was the referee that we would have been going to, so I believe the ref made the right decision,” said Beattie.

The day was not a total wash-out for either manager, however, as the bottom two in the table – Northampton Town and Torquay – both lost.