Derby date so crucial for Rovers and Bury
WHILE another Lancashire derby will attract greater attention tomorrow night, this clash is arguably more important.
For while an FA Cup run is undoubtedly something to savour, it doesn’t affect what division you play in the following season.
Blackburn’s home clash against Bury is vital to both teams for different reasons.
Following relegation last term, Rovers are desperate to get back to the Championship at the first time of asking.
After a slow start to the season, Tony Mowbray’s men have forced their way into promotion contention.
Last Tuesday’s 2-1 win at Ports-mouth, inspired by Newcastle loanee Adam Armstrong’s double, saw Rovers stay third in the table, but they are breathing down the necks of leaders Shrewsbury and Wigan, who slipped back to second after their shock 2-0 home defeat against Blackpool.
And with Wigan otherwise engaged against Manchester City in the FA Cup, even a point tonight would take Blackburn above the Latics, though Paul Cook’s men would have three games in hand.
Pre-season, Bury also harboured hopes of being in the promotion shake-up, though it hasn’t panned out that way. Instead, they have become embroiled in a relegation battle and have lost two managers along the way – Lee Clark and Chris Lucketti.
There have been signs that caretaker manager Ryan Lowe – in his second temporary spell in charge this term - has started to turn the ship around, working in partnership with Ryan Kidd.
The Shakers go into the derby on the back of a five-game unbeaten run, though it’s a sign of how bad the situation was that, even with those results, they lie second bottom and were, pre-weekend, ten points from safety.
Some may say tomorrow night’s game is a ‘free go’ for Bury because no one will expect them to get anything against a Rovers squad containing the likes of Bradley Dack, Danny Graham and Charlie Mulgrew.
But their need for points is desperate with just 14 games left and that means they could be dangerous opponents for their high-flying hosts.
Vastly experienced Rovers boss Tony Mowbray certainly expects the Shakers to give his side a searching examination.
“We won’t get sucked into a false impression that because they’re at the wrong end of the table they’re struggling – they look a good team,” said the former Celtic, Middlesbrough and Coventry manager.
“We just have to do what we have to do and, over the 90 minutes, hopefully we have enough to grind them down and get three points. We’re expecting a tough game from the off.”