ALAN Knill hopes lightning does not strike twice should he claim his second manager of the month award later today.

The Shakers boss saw his side suffer five straight home defeats after claiming the prize in September.

And now, hot favourite to take the honours again after remaining unbeaten since January 3, he is backing his side to make a winning start to this month against Dagenham and Redbridge at Gigg Lane on Saturday.

“If it happens, it would be a good thing for the club,” the manager said of the award. “It’s a team prize rather than one for the manager.

“Form dipped last time and we’ve got pretty much the same players, but now they have got a bit more experience of this league.

“I’d like to think it wouldn’t happen again. We have been excellent over the last month and the lads deserve a lot of credit.”

Knill is hoping to wrap up an extension to Mark Tyler’s loan from Peterborough today, having been impressed with the 31-year-old’s performances since arriving as cover for the injured Wayne Brown.

“Browny is probably two weeks away from coming back and this gives him a chance to get fully fit before we throw him back in,” he said. “He’d been playing all season feeling his thigh or knee, so this gives him a chance to get right.

“Mark was exactly what we needed. He had the experience, knew he was going to play here, and wanted to get himself out there again.

“He’s got a year and a half left at Peterborough, so it’s a reminder to them, too, that he is still a quality keeper.”

Centre-half Ben Futcher has been ruled out for a month with a hamstring injury he picked up in Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Luton, meaning Efe Sodje should be handed his first start since being sent off at Shrewsbury in late December.

Knill is wary of the threat posed by Dagenham’s formidable front two, Ben Strevens and Paul Benson, who between them have registered 27 goals this season.

“They have got goals in them and created a lot of chances at their place earlier in the season,” he said.

“Even though we won the game 3-1 in the end, Browny kept us in it at times. They are a very good side.”

l Bury’s trip to Rotherham, which was postponed due to the bad weather in midweek, has been rearranged for next Tuesday.