Charlton travel to Gigg Lane this weekend. Here are the results of Bury's last ten league games:
Plymouth (a) 0-3
Scunthorpe (a) 0-1
Fleetwood (h) 0-2
Rotherham (h) 0-3
Peterborough (a) 0-3
Portsmouth (a) 0-1
Northampton (a) 0-0
Shrewsbury (h) 1-0
Blackburn (h) 0-3
Gillingham (a) 1-1
They have not scored in a league game since 21st November. They have lost their last six games with an aggregate of 0-13. Their only win in the last two months came under caretaker manager Ryan Lowe who oversaw the surprise defeat of Shrewsbury between the sacking of Lee Clark and the appointment of Chris Lucketti. Last month they were dumped out of the FA Cup 0-3 by Woking at Gigg Lane. Their leading goalscorer Jermaine Beckford (8) who scored in their 1-1 draw at The Valley in September is out for the rest of the season. Nicky Ajose (1 goal in 11 hours) will not be eligible. Michael Smith (2 goals in 27 hours) has amazingly just been signed by Rotherham. James Hanson (on loan from Sheffield United) and veteran Peter Clarke (on loan from Oldham) have just been brought in and made their debuts against Plymouth.
Charlton's chances of securing a play-off slot this season are looking slimmer by the day as Karl Robinson's pessimism grows. He has publically expressed his frustration about being unable to strengthen his squad while take over talks continue. He may not even be able to retain all the players at his current disposal.
Failure to win at Bury would be an embarrassment, even to a team as injury ravaged as ours, and any pretensions to sixth place would surely have to be abandoned. In August 2011 Johnnie Jackson and Paul Hayes scored the goals which saw Chris Powell's team come from behind to win 2-1 at Gigg Lane on their way to promotion. That, however, was our only victory over The Shakers in the last twelve encounters going back to the 1960s. Robinson would seem to have the ideal opportunity to improve this record on Saturday and he will have some serious questions to answer if we are unable to take all three points.