Big Match Preview

Bury vs. Accrington Stanley

Saturday October 9, 15:00, Gigg Lane

There's a tasty looking Lancashire derby between two teams riding high in League Two on Saturday as Bury and Accrington meet at Gigg Lane.

The towns are separated by just 15 miles and the clubs by just a single point - sitting in 5th and 6th respectively in the early standings.

The visitors come into the game off the back of an extraordinary 7-4 victory over Gillingham at the Crown Ground last weekend.

In contrast to their unbeaten and high-scoring home form though, Stanley have yet to win on the road and have scored just twice in their five away games.

Both of those goals came in a 2-2 draw at Stockport, where they threw away their advantage. That's one of four away draws they've registered, with stalemates being played out with Torquay, Northampton, and Oxford.

Indeed, those 0-0 draws formed part of a terrific rearguard performance at the beginning of the campaign with Accrington leaking just a single goal in their first seven matches.

It's a performance which, once again, illustrates the terrific job boss John Coleman continues to do at Stanley - despite working with one of the smallest budgets in the division.

Despite losing key players in the summer, too, particularly going forwards, the form of Sean McConville and Terry Gornell - with five and four goals respectively so far - has shown Coleman's ability to keep finding the right blend.

John Coleman continues to work miracles with Accrington

His opposite number this weekend, Alan Knill, knows all about consistent performances too. In the last two seasons the Shakers have been top seven contenders, and once again look likely to be in the play off mix.

Bury, too, enjoyed an incredible high-scoring win over Gillingham recently, with a topsy-turvy encounter eventually ending up 5-4 in their favour.

That remains their only home win to date, though, with draws against Rotherham, Northampton, and Hereford accompanying an opening day defeat to League Two leaders Port Vale.

The Shakers head into Saturday's game on good form being four games unbeaten. That includes impressive away wins at Cheltenham and Morecambe - ending both side's unbeaten home records in the process.

Key, once again, to their hopes has been the form of striker Ryan Lowe, whose seven goals so far put him second in the top marksmen table for the basement division.

He's ably assisted by Andy Bishop, always a threat in front of goal, and summer signing, midfielder Steven Schumacher, - both have two goals to their name.

Both these sides like to try and play the game the right way and it promises to be an entertaining as well as fiercely contested local affair.

With Bury hard to beat at home and Accrington drawing four away already, things ending all square at Gigg Lane wouldn't come as any surprise at all.

Nobes' Prediction: Bury 1 Accrington Stanley 1