BURY boss Andy Preece has a big problem ahead of the Shakers match against Macclesfield Town at Gigg Lane tomorrow. . . and he wouldn't have it any other way!

Preece has the unenviable job of selecting a starting eleven to take on the Silkmen and for once in his life he has an embarrassment of riches.

The manager rested seven first teamers for Tuesday's LDV Vans match at Rochdale and the youth and fringe players selected did superbly well to defeat the Lancashire rivals 1-0.

And with Lenny Johnrose back at the club and Terry Dunfield's loan stay extended by Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan, midfield is just one area that some hard decisions are going to have to be made.

Last weekend Chris Billy was man of the match at Rushden & Diamonds while Colin Woodthorpe also slotted into the engineroom superbly.

Woodthorpe also grabbed the winning goal on Tuesday night and has staked a claim for an extended run.

"It's a nice situation to be in and I have some thinking to do," said Preece.

"It's important to have a decent size squad to really push for promotion but it's going to be hard to keep everyone happy.

"But players have to be patient, we are coming up to a busy time of the season with two games a week for the next few weeks and it's important we have strength in depth."

The manager has been particularly impressed with Woodthorpe's contribution since he arrived at Gigg Lane.

At home on the left side of defence and in midfield he made the former Stockport and Norwich City man skipper for the night against Rochdale and recognises his value to the squad.

"To me Colin epitomises what football is about," he said.

"He has European experience and has played in some massive games but still shows bags of enthusiasm.

"He's quiet but still passes on experience and our younger lads can learn a lot from him.

"How he has been without a club is beyond me, he really leads by example."

But Preece won't need reminding that money is still tight at the club and the likelihood is he will have to offload some personnel to keep the likes of Johnrose and Woodthorpe.

"The hard thing will be keeping everyone," he said. "I have a meeting with the chairmen and directors on Monday and we'll have to sort one or two things out.

"We have a fairly big squad and although the wages we are paying some of the players are not great, sacrifices may have to be made.

"We are desperate to keep these players together and I'm sure more people through the gates will help.

"It would be great if we could get around 3,500 or 4,000 for tomorrow's match. That would give me a case to hold onto the likes of Pawel Abbott and Terry Dunfield even longer."

Realistically, loan stars Abbott and Dunfield could be back at their own clubs in a matter of weeks and Preece is desperate to be able to give extended deals to the likes of Johnrose and Woodthorpe who are only on short term contracts.

"Everyone can see just what a good set of players we have at the club at the moment and it would be a tragedy to start breaking up the squad just when we look set to kick on."

The Shakers have a big chance to start picking up some valuable league points in the next few weeks and force themselves into the promotion reckoning.

Tomorrow's match against Macclesfield is followed by a trip to Lincoln City on Tuesday then it's down to the capital, and Leyton Orient, the following Saturday.

"We've just got to keep this run going," he said. "We have been consistent having only lost two of our last fifteen games and though we've dropped points we haven't played poorly.

"At times we haven't got the results we've deserved, perhaps now we are turning the performances into results."

Two clean sheets in the last two matches have certainly helped matters and hopefully the defensive lapses that have proved costly are now a thing of the past.

"The extra five per cent we were looking for seems to be there now," he added.

"We've beaten both Rochdale and Bolton in local derbies, we're two points off the play-offs and four points off second place.

"Hopefully the place will be bouncing tomorrow. We need more fans turning up so we can keep our better players and progress, that's the only way we can get finance in quickly."

THE Shakers are involved in two knockout competition draws tomorrow (Saturday).

The draw for the second round of the LDV Vans Trophy will be held on Sky TV's Soccer AM at 10.30am while the FA Cup first round draw is scheduled for BBC TV's Grandstand programme at 5.30pm.