SHAKERS skipper Steven Schumacher has urged his team-mates to show their promotion worth when high-flying Rotherham United visit Gigg Lane on Saturday.

Alan Knill’s men are buzzing with confidence after back-to-back victories on the road against Cheltenham Town and Morecambe.

But they face one of their biggest tests of the season when the Millers, who currently lie second in the table, come to town.

Another of League Two’s big guns, Shrewsbury Town, visit in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on Tuesday evening and Schumacher is demanding his side lay down a marker.

“It has been a good week so far with two wins on the road but they are two victories we really needed to get if we had any aspirations of doing anything this season,” said the 26-year-old former Everton trainee.

“They have been pretty convincing performances too. We have looked solid and capable of scoring goals.

“The Rotherham game is the benchmark now. I know Morecambe had a great end to last season but they and Cheltenham, with no disrespect, have struggled a bit whereas Rotherham and Shrewsbury are up there. The next two games will be yardsticks for us.

“We can get into the top three if we beat Rotherham and we want to be up around the top of the league as much as we can.

“We just have to pick up points against teams around us and make sure we don’t slip up in games we are expected to do well in.

“We are playing everybody around us in the next few weeks, so if we keep performing as we have done in the last two games and don’t let our standards drop we will do okay.”

And the all-action skipper is eyeing more goals.

“I enjoyed my goal,” he said. “I have been disappointed with my shooting at times this season but I have not had that many opportunities to have a dig either and when I have, I have not caught them right.

“That was even the case in training but I was happy to see that one go into the back of the net because it is something I am capable of doing.”

Schumacher has struck up a fantastic partnership with French midfielder Damien Mozika in the last two matches, with the captain netting twice in Tuesday’s 4-1 defeat of Morecambe.

Schumacher is enjoying linking up with former Chester City man but had some words of comfort for Peter Sweeney, who has been dropped to the bench.

“Damo is more defence minded and physical than Sweeney is but Peter is a great player and I’m sure he will be back in the team sooner rather than later because he is one of our main players,” added Schumacher.

“I do have to shout at Mozika a bit. He is a bit inexperienced but he has so much enthusiasm.

“He has played three games in 10 days now and to come in and do that will take a lot out of him. He has that French style about him.

“He is gangly, awkward, gets tackles in and competes.

“He is only young so I think there is a lot more to come.”

Andy Bishop is Knill’s only injury concern ahead of Saturday’s game as he battles to overcome tendinitis in his knees.

Students can watch Bury’s game against Rotherham for just £5 on production of a valid student card.