BURY Town keeper Marcus Garnham has warned FA Cup opponents Alfreton Town that he and his young back four are becoming something of an immovable force ahead of tomorrow's massive first round tie.

Stuart Watson

BURY Town keeper Marcus Garnham has warned FA Cup opponents Alfreton Town that he and his young back four are becoming something of an immovable force ahead of tomorrow's massive first round tie.

The 20-year-old summer signing from Woodbridge Town has kept four clean sheets in the last six games since replacing injured No.1 Dean Greygoose.

And the Ipswich resident, who plays behind a back four with an average age of 20, is in no mood to let such form come to an end.

Referring the defensive quartet of Tom Bullard, Stuart Walker, Ashley Sloots and Sam Nunn, he said: “I played with quite a few of them for Suffolk when I was younger, we are all mates and we all really stick up for each other. It makes it a lot easier to communicate on the pitch.

“We are all young and have got the hunger to win. We all want to be the best we can be and want to improve all the time.

“We put in one hundred percent every game and play with the view that if we don't let in a goal we can't lose.

“That's not to say we will be going to Alfreton looking for a draw. We want to go there and win it without a replay.

“This cup run is so exciting and the exposure we have been getting as a club from it has been brilliant. We just want this run to keep going for as long as possible.”

After the Suffolk club were controversially moved across from the Ryman League to a midlands-based division of the British Gas Business League at the end of last season, Bury boss Richard Wilkins moved quickly to find a number of young players who were willing to commit to the extra travelling required.

The first of his summer signings was Garnham, an impressive young goalkeeper who was voted both players' player of the year and supporters' player of the year at Ridgeons League side Woodbridge Town last season.

The youngster - who represented Ipswich Town reserves on a couple of occasions last season such was his form - was primarily signed as back-up to the vastly experienced Dean Greygoose.

However, when the former Crewe and Crystal Palace custodian picked up a knee injury in the FA Cup third qualifying round win over Worthing early last month, Garnham was thrust into the limelight.

The former St Albans High School pupil started as he meant to go on, keeping a vital clean sheet in the second half of the game to see his side through to the next round with a narrow 1-0 win.

Since then Garnham has played six games and kept four clean sheets - a stunning double stop from the penalty spot against rivals AFC Sudbury meaning that the only goal he has conceded in the last five was Basingstoke's consolation strike in the last round of the FA Cup.

“I'd been at Woodbridge since I was 16 and just felt like I needed a new challenge,” said Garnham.

“I wanted to try and push myself and put myself up against someone really good. I knew Deano (Dean Greygoose) was a good keeper so I wanted to see how much I could learn from him.

“Deano had been playing well, but I got my opportunity and I've just tried to play well as I can.”