BURY have been given a triple boost ahead of tomorrow's FA Cup clash at home to Bradford after signing Manchester City goalkeeper Ian Lawlor, welcoming back striker Ryan Lowe and agreeing a contract extension with Reece Brown.

Lawlor, aged 21, has agreed a loan deal until the end of the season while Lowe, aged 37, returned to the club following a six-game spell at League One rivals Crewe.

Brown, aged 24, who was signed on a free transfer last summer, has proved to be a useful member of the squad, making 18 appearances filling in at centre-back, right-back and as a holding midfielder.

He will now remain at Gigg Lane until the end of the season.

Finding cover for injured goalkeeper Rob Lainton was at the top of manager David Flitcroft's to-do list after the transfer window re-opened last Saturday.

Stoke City loanee Daniel Bachmann has played the last 10 matches in goal, filling in for Lainton since he picked up a groin injury in a 2-1 defeat at cup opponents Bradford in League One in October.

The Austrian's loan deal runs out at midnight tomorrow, meaning he is still available to play in the Shakers' third-round tie at Gigg Lane. But Lawlor, who has spent the last month on loan at League Two side Barnet, has also been given permission to play by parent club City.

The Dublin-born keeper was part of the City first-team squad that toured Austria in pre-season, but has been mainly part of their under-21s development squad since arriving from his local side Home Farm FC.

Flitcroft said: “We have monitored Ian’s progress since he signed for Manchester City and have been impressed with his form in development games and respective loans.”

Lowe's return is also a boost to a squad that has struggled for goals of late.

They have managed just six in their last nine games since beating Wigan 4-0 in the first round of the FA Cup on November 7.

Meanwhile, Lowe twice found the net on loan at Crewe, where he proved his fitness after struggling with injury problems in the opening few months of the season.

Flitcroft said: “Ryan has come back in great nick. He has proved he can play 90 minutes, which is fantastic for Ryan and fantastic for us so I’m delighted to have him back.”

It is not clear if the club's top goalscorer, Leon Clarke, will figure tomorrow following the death of his father. The Bolton News understands he has been training, but the decision to play will be left with the striker himself.

Meanwhile, former youth-team striker Anthony Dudley has been loaned back to Guiseley, where he scored five goals in seven appearances in a previous loan spell earlier this season.

And former youth-team player Brayden Shaw has been released by the club after coming to the end of his six-month deal.

Meanwhile youngster Brayden Shaw, who signed a six month deal with the club at the start of the season, has now come to the end of that deal and as such has been released from the club.  

A Bury spokesman said: "Brayden didn’t quite make the first-team squad as was hoped, but leaves with the club's very best wishes for the future as we thank him for being a great servant of the club."