TONIGHT'S Division Three clash between Bury and Oxford United was called off this morning because of a frozen pitch.

Shakers last night called for Football League officials to check the playing surface after freezing temperatures turned the ground rock solid.

Club officials held little hope of the fixture going ahead and manager Andy Preece admitted he would favour a postponement rather than risk serious injury to his players.

"You always want the games played, whenever possible, because you want to close the gap on the leaders but I wouldn't be too disappointed to see it called off," he said.

"I don't want us playing on hard pitches because they don't do us any favours. A hard pitch can be a good leveller and I think it helped Leyton Orient beat us on Saturday.

"The quarter of the pitch near the South Stand was unplayable. I would rather wait and play the game on a decent pitch."

Meanwhile luckless Shakers defender Nicky Hill could finally put his injury jinx behind him with a long-awaited return to first team action this week.

The centre half has only made three appearances in the first 11 all season, all in the LDV Vans Trophy, with a string of injuries blighting his season.

His early campaign was plagued by an ankle problem while his most recent hamstring injury was contracted, ironically, while attempting to prove his fitness during an ill-fated loan spell at Leigh RMI.

Now he looks set for a recall to the back line as cover for the suspended Danny Swailes, who misses Bury's next two fixtures after his red card at Torquay followed up his fifth booking of the season at Kidderminster.

And manager Andy Preece admits he is only too happy to give him a break.

"It's a shame to lose Danny because he has been playing really well recently. He looks like becoming a really top class player," he said.

"All three lads at the back seem to be doing very well together and, apart from the odd slip, have been really consistent.

"They are the main reason why Nicky has struggled to get back into the team before now. He's also been really unlucky with injuries.

"He went on loan to Leigh and was playing really well in his first couple of games, then he got injured again.

"Now he's got another chance and he will be really eager to prove what he can do, with his contract up at the end of the season.

"He's never let us down when he's come into the side before and I've absolutely no quarms about bringing him back in."