BURY can expect another great atmosphere when they travel to Valley Parade tonight but it is hard to know which of the two sides will be more intimidated.

Bradford will have a fervent support in their corner after averaging gates of more than 18,000 in their five home games so far this season.

But the Shakers are unbeaten in 17 matches on their travels and are so far proving a tough nut to crack away from Gigg Lane since their return to League One.

Wins at Walsall, Colchester, Peterborough and Sheffield United – their first at Bramall Lane since 1925 – have helped catapult David Flitcroft’s men into fourth place, and few would bet against them downing another Goliath tonight.

“Bradford is a tough place to go, they are very established in this league and it is another fantastic chance for us to go and test our resolve and mettle,” said Flitcroft, who believes the key to his players’ success has been not letting it go to their heads.

“Over the last 10 months, we have respected whichever ground we have visited, in League Two and certainly in League One.

“We have respected everywhere we have gone, whether that has been in front of 1,000 or 20,000 fans.

“That is something as a manager I am really mindful of and we are probably the best in the country at doing that away from home.”

Bury remain well placed in the table, just three points behind leaders Gillingham, despite dropping four points in their last two games, which both came at home.

A 0-0 stalemate at home to Rochdale on Saturday followed a 2-2 draw against Wigan the previous weekend, when the Shakers conceded two late goals after Chris Hussey was sent off.

The attacking full-back, whose dangerous crosses make him a potent threat from open play as well as set-pieces, returns from a one-match suspension tonight.

He will bolster a side already brimming with confidence, buoyed by an upsurge in attendances on home soil of late, despite not being able to reward their new fans with a victory.

Almost 6,500 supporters packed Gigg Lane on Saturday, building on a gate of nearly 6,000 the previous weekend.

“There were over 5,000 of our own fans in, so that is progression,” said Flitcroft, who was impressed by the noise coming out of the stand opposite the dugout, which has been designated as the “singing corner”.

“The crazy corner they (the players) call it. My lads keep telling me they want to go in the crazy corner so that’s development in itself – the fact there is an energy coming from a corner of the stand and that corner grew into a bigger section than that on Saturday.

“We are trying to build momentum at the club, we are potentially getting new fans in.

“They want to come along and be energised and you could feel it on Saturday, it was excellent.

“The atmosphere was good and you get that bounce off that, which is what we are desperately trying to achieve at the club.”