Bury Town boss Ben Chenery insisted his side’s lengthy injury list can’t be used as an excuse, as they look to continue their good recent run against Cray Wanderers today.

Connor Hall, Ollie Hughes, James Paterson, Sam Reed, Bradley Barber and Noel Aitkens are all out injured, with John Kennedy suspended and Justin Miller unavailable due to work commitments, leaving Chenery with an inexperienced squad for today’s game, which is likely to include a host of youth and reserve players.

Despite his selection headache, Chenery insisted he can’t use his side’s injury trouble as an excuse and is expecting the side he does pick to be competitive, as Bury look to extend their undefeated run which now stands at five games.

“We’ve got plenty of injuries to deal with at the moment, which is very frustrating, but it’s a challenge you have to get through,” he said.

“If it had been a lot of similar injuries like hamstrings, thighs or backs then it would be a lot easier to understand and we could put it down to something we’re doing, but it’s a range of things.

“We don’t have the biggest squad in the world so we’re looking at our younger players, the academy players and reserves to step up in what will be a tough game.

“We can’t make excuses and we have to make sure we put in a performance worthy of the three points.

“It’s difficult, we can’t get away from that but I’ve been really pleased with how we’ve been doing recently.

The two sides drew 3-3 when they met at Cray in October, with Chenery expecting a similarly hard-fought game this weekend against the side currently three places above Bury, in sixth.

“I like the way they played when we went there earlier in the season, they play football the right way and knock the ball around nicely and are athletic with a lot of pace and power,” he said.

“We had a difficult Christmas period but they’ve had a difficult January and February, but are a team full of quality, even if they have lost a couple of players.

“It will be a tough game and one we can’t afford to lose at home, we have to take the game to them and be competitive and impose ourselves on them.

“If we can do that we will give ourselves a good chance of getting a result.

Following Saturday’s game, Bury are at home again on Tuesday night against Thurrock, who are also in the thick of the promotion race.

“We need two big home performances from these games,” Chenery said.

“We’re unbeaten in five games now and if we can come out of the next two games unbeaten in seven, with a couple of wins, it will set us up nicely. for the rest of the season.

“We were fortunate enough to beat them 4-1 earlier in the season (in the FA Trophy) but they are a tough side and I’m sure it will be a tougher game.

“Pitting ourselves against the top teams is something we enjoy so it’s an exciting week for us.”

Bury currently sit ninth in the Ryman North table, nine points behind Cheshunt who occupy the final play-off place in fifth, but the Suffolk club have two games in hand.