Bury vs Blackpool. Sky Bet League One.
The Energy Check Stadium at Gigg LaneAttendance4,089.
Friday 2 February 2018 13:57, UK
Adam Thompson and Zeli Ismail could return to Bury's squad for the Sky Bet League One clash with Blackpool.
Defender Thompson and midfielder Ismail returned to the struggling Shakers this week after their respective loan spells with Bradford and Walsall were ended.
On-loan forward George Miller is in line for his first start after coming off the bench to score on his debut at Oxford last weekend. Craig Jones (thigh), Jermaine Beckford (knee) and Eoghan O'Connell (ruptured ligaments) are unlikely to return.
Defender Curtis Tilt will return to the Blackpool squad after last weekend's postponement against Charlton prolonged his absence. Tilt would have been available after a two-match ban incurred for collecting 10 bookings for the campaign, but a waterlogged pitch at Bloomfield Road ended his hopes.
The extra break has given Mark Cullen and Jim McAlister more time to recover from hamstring and bone bruising problems respectively, although it remains to be seen whether or not that proves to be sufficient for either. Gary Bowyer's men have won only one of their last 12 Sky Bet League One games and none since they beat Rochdale on the road on New Year's Day.
Bury are on a 12-game unbeaten run at home to Blackpool in the Football League (W9 D3) since losing 1-0 in May 1982.
Blackpool won the reverse meeting between these two sides 2-1; they haven't done a league double over the Shakers in the top four tiers of English football since the 1933/34 campaign.
Bury put an end to a streak of seven consecutive league losses without scoring a single goal last time out against Oxford United, after picking up a 2-1 win away from home.
The Seasiders have picked up just one win from their last 12 league games (D5 L6), and have failed to score in any of their previous three.
The last time Nicky Ajose faced Blackpool in league competition he netted a hat-trick. This came in a 3-2 win for Swindon Town back in February 2016.
Bury will be frustrated that they've had to wait so long to play again after finally getting a couple of goals and a win at Oxford a couple of weeks ago. They're still in deep, deep trouble in League One but at least it provided them with a glimmer of hope.
They face a Blackpool side who are on a terrible run of form and are sliding alarmingly down the table. It's a great opportunity for them but I think Gary Bowyer, who has done a great job in tough circumstances at Blackpool, will get his side back to winning ways.
Prutton predicts: 1-2 (17/2 with Sky Bet)
