CHRIS Hussey believes home advantage could be crucial for Bury’s League Two promotion hopes.

The Shakers return to the JD Stadium tomorrow to face basement club Hartlepool after picking up four points on the road in their last two matches.

But it is on home turf that David Flitcroft’s side have been most prolific this season – winning nine and losing just three of their 15 matches.

And with three of the top five still to play at Bury, Hussey believes their destiny will rest on the results of the eight games they have remaining at the JD.

“We have got quite a few home games and the top teams have to come to us,” said the 26-year-old defender.

“On our home patch you wouldn’t bet against us.”

Bury go into tomorrow’s game against Ronnie Moore’s relegation battlers just outside the play-off places on goal difference, level on 49 points with seventh-placed Plymouth.

A recent run of just one defeat in seven matches has seen them keep pace with the promotion pack.

While the play-offs seem their most likely route into League One, they are still only seven points adrift of the automatic promotion places.

“There are 14 games left – it is a lot of football and we have to do well in those games,” he said.

“Something like 80 points went up automatic last year.

“So we have to keep going and with the squad we have got I am pretty sure we will be up there and around it.”

Hussey is prepared for every eventuality, but having tasted defeat in the play-off final with Burton last season, the young left-back knows which route he would prefer to take this time round.

“It is nerve wracking playing there,” he admitted.

“I would rather go up automatic, as I am sure everyone else would, but I have got experience of playing there,

“It’s a one-off occasion, I enjoyed it and hopefully, if we don’t go up automatically I am sure that play-offs will be the minimum.

“But you never say never and we are not going to stop until it is mathematically impossible.”

After Saturday’s victory saw Cheltenham fall into the bottom two, Bury will not be looking to do Hartlepool any favours.

But Flitcroft has warned fans not to expect Moore’s outfit to be a pushover as they continue a desperate struggle to maintain their Football League status.

“I have played against a Ronnie Moore team,” said Flitcroft.

“One thing you get from his sides they don’t lie down, they keep going and he will have them organised and functional so we are expecting one hell of a battle.”

Midfielder Joe Thompson will be unavailable for selection after moving to Conference side Southport in a one-month loan deal. Tom Soares (ankle) and Adam El-Abd (hamstring) face fitness tests, while Ryan Lowe and Pablo Mills remain sidelined with injuries.