Match Preview: Bolton V BurySETTING THE SCENE Fierce rivals at the start of the 20th Century, meetings between Wanderers and Bury have been infrequent in previous years, with a League Cup clash in 2002 providing the most recent meeting between the two sides.
With both teams keen to bounce back after opening day defeats, Tuesday night’s local derby provides the perfect platform to claim a maiden win of the season, as well as local bragging rights.
And with both Bolton and Bury having registered 28 wins apiece in this fixture, both sets of supporters will be keen for their respective clubs to boast the superior record come the final whistle at Macron Stadium.
ALL-TIME RECORD | Bolton wins | Draws | Bury wins |
League | 23 | 14 | 25 |
FA Cup | 4 | 1 | 0 |
League Cup | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Total | 28 | 16 | 28 |
WHO’S IN THE HOTSEAT?David Flitcroft
Bolton-born David Flitcroft took over as Bury manager in December 2013, just over a week after being dismissed by Championship club Barnsley.
The younger brother of the former Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City player Garry Flitcroft, David most famously turned out for Chester City, Rochdale and Bury during a 19-year professional career before joining the Rochdale coaching staff following his retirement.
Appointed Barnsley assistant manager in June 2011, Flitcroft took over as the club’s caretaker manager in December 2013, before taking on the job permanently the following month.
After joining Bury last December, the Shakers lost just five matches under Flitcroft during his first six months with the club, and went unbeaten at home for the rest of the season.
LAST TIME OUTBury’s 2014/15 League Two campaign started with defeat against Cheltenham Town as they lost at the JD Stadium for the first time under manager Flitcroft.
Youngster Joe Hanks fired home the game’s solitary goal shortly before the interval, finding the top corner with a thunderous 25-yard strike, leaving debutant Shwan Jalal hapless in the Bury net.
BURY: Jalal, Jones, Mills, McNulty, Hussey, Adams (Cameron 82), Tutte, Soares, Mayor, Nardiello (Poole 75), Lowe
ONE TO WATCHRyan Lowe
Ryan Lowe re-joined Bury earlier this summer, having previously left the Shakers after enjoying a rather fruitful two-year-spell with the club in 2011.
Making his Football League breakthrough with Shrewsbury Town in 2000, Lowe spent time with Chester City, Crewe Alexandra and Stockport County before first joining the Shakers in 2009.
After scoring 18 goals for Chester City during the 2008/09 season, Lowe had up until that point been an infrequent scorer, but his move to Gigg Lane proved to be the making of the Liverpool-born forward.
Notching 53 goals 100 appearances for the club, Lowe helped Bury win promotion to League One in 2011, before departing for Sheffield Wednesday at the start of the following season.
Now back at Bury following one-year stays with Wednesday, MK Dons and Tranmere Rovers, Lowe will be keen to replicate the form from his previous spell at the club as the Shakers once again look to win promotion back to League One.
LAST TIME THEY WERE HERE2/10/2002: Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Bury (Mendy OG, 48)
Bury pulled off a famous upset on their last visit to BL6, as a Bernard Mendy own goal secured the Shakers’ a place in the League Cup third round.
With manager Sam Allardyce taking the opportunity to experiment with his side, three players were handed their Whites debuts as Bulent Akin, Chris Armstrong and Daivd Holdsworth all made their maiden starts.
The winner came shortly after the interval, as former-Liverpool striker Jon Newby’s right-wing cross was diverted into his own net by Mendy, under pressure from Colin Woodthorpe.
Dean Holdsworth, Kevin Nolan and Henrik Pedersen were all introduced to the action as Bolton chased an equaliser, with the former pair combining on numerous occasions to test Bury goalkeeper Glynn Garner.
However, the Trotters’ fate was sealed Akin was sent off for a second bookable offence midway through the second half.
A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPSDavid Lee
Wanderers Under-18s head coach David Lee started his career with Bury back in 1986, making over 200 appearances and scoring 35 goals during his five years with the club.
A right-winger during his playing days, Lee joined Southampton in 1991, but his time on the south-coast was short-lived as he returned to the north-west with Bolton in December 1992 following a successful loan move.
During his time with the Trotters, Lee helped Colin Todd’s side to win the First Division in 1997, and also played in the 1995 League Cup Final against Liverpool.
Moving to Wigan Athletic in 1997, Lee had spells with Blackpool, Carlisle United and Morecambe before hanging up his boots in 2001.
Starting his coaching career with former club Wigan, Lee returned to Bolton in 2008, first as the club’s assistant academy director, before taking up his current position as Under-18 head coach.
MAN IN THE MIDDLELancashire-based referee Jeremy Simpson will be the first official to take charge of a competitive match at the newly-christened Macron Stadium as Wanderers face League Two side Bury in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday evening.
In 33 games throughout the Football League last season, Mr Simpson dished out 90 yellow and five red cards.
Tuesday night’s game will mark Mr Simpson’s first visit to BL6. However, he has taken charge of one Trotters match prior to the midweek cup clash, overseeing the Whites’ 1-0 away victory against Huddersfield Town back in April last season.
Shaun Hudson and Glen Hart will run the line, while Peters Bankes is the fourth official.
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