DAVID Flitcroft has put Bury Under-18s centre-back Matty Foulds on stand-by after a “fruitless” search to recruit defensive cover ahead of this weekend’s opening League One fixture at Doncaster.

The Shakers completed their pre-season programme unbeaten after goals from Tom Soares, Leon Clarke and a late penalty from Andrew Tutte helped them come from behind to win 3-2 at home to Preston on Saturday.

But Keil O’Brien’s ongoing knee problems has left Flitcroft with just two senior centre-backs – captain Nathan Cameron and Peter Clarke, who was substituted late in the victory over North End after being hit by a flailing elbow.

The summer signing suffered nothing more than swelling under his left eye, but the lack of cover is a major concern for the Shakers boss.

“We are really short on numbers at the back,” he said. “The search has been continuous for probably three weeks now and it’s not a fruitful one at the minute.”

Foulds, aged 16, is expected to return early from the U18s tour of Holland, after figuring in a 2-1 defeat against Vitesse Arnhem U19s on Saturday, and could well be on the bench for Bury’s League One opener.

Flitcroft will also take another look at trialist Reece Brown in a match against Accrington at Carrington today.

Brown, aged 23, who has had nine clubs in his short career after starting as a trainee at Manchester United, has made three appearances for Bury during pre-season, playing at right-back in the final 15 minutes of Saturday’s victory.

“We are trying to get Matty Foulds back from Holland,” said Flitcroft. “At the minute he is third in line, he’s our third centre-half.

“We have got Peter Clarke and Nathan Cameron, so I have no real back-up.

“Reece has stayed with us and he’s dug in. He’s been at Carrington now for a full week.

“He’s been digging in and working hard and showing that he wants to try to earn a contract.”

Flitcroft also ran the rule over South African international midfielder Dean Furman in Saturday’s match.

The 27-year-former Chelsea trainee, who was released by Doncaster in the summer, played alongside the returning Kelvin Etuhu in central midfield and laid the ball off for Soares’s 11th-minute opener, but tired and was replaced by Tutte early in the second half.

“We are strong in midfield. With the players we have got in there we are already quite flexible but I am intrigued,” said Flitcroft of the former Oldham player, who has 25 caps for South Africa.

“He has been (on trial) at Blackburn for a couple of weeks and he’s become available.

“He’s a player that I have always admired and fits the profile of what we are after, so it’s one we are looking at.”