Bury St Edmunds face their two biggest challenges of the season, over the next two weeks, when they entertain league leaders Chinnor this afternoon (3pm), and then travel to second-placed Cinderford the following weekend.

But head coach, Ollie Smith, is relishing the task ahead and looking for a response from his players following last Saturday’s error-strewn 29-17 defeat at fourth-placed Redingensians Rams. Injuries did not help the Wolfpack’s cause in that last outing.

“A home game against the league leaders really whets the appetite,” enthused Smith.

“It’s a big game for the club, and a great opportunity for us to bounce back. We are still hurting after last weekend’s defeat at Reading, because we still have aspirations to do well this season.

“I thought we were unlucky last Saturday. You always get a few bumps and bruises in a game, but we had several players who had to come off injured, with two of our backs going off early doors.

“I must add that I was very frustrated with some of the refereeing in that game. If we had had any other referee from this season, then I think you would have seen a very different game,” added Smith.

Bury suffered only their fifth defeat of the season, from 13 games in the National League Two South, and remain well placed in sixth, although they will be up against it today against a Chinnor side who are unbeaten, with 12 wins and a draw from their first 13 fixtures.

The players who were injured last week – Will Simpson, Chris Snelling, Brendan Mitchell and David Coutts – will also miss out against Chinnor, although Mark Kohler, a late withdrawal from the Old Redingensians game, will return in the centre alongside the also-returning Boyd Rouse.

“We want to put in a good performance, and then back it up against Cinderford,” said Smith.

“A few of the lads are missing out as a precaution, because it would be bad management to bring them in and then lose them longer-term. But it gives other players a chance, such as (flanker) Ollie Watson,” added Smith.

BURY: Brown, Bixby, Smith, Scholes, Swithenbank, Stanley, Watson, Browne, Anderson-Brown, McBride, Corcoran, Rouse, Kohler, Affleck, Lord. Replacements: Beales, King, Edison, Harrison, O’Reilly.