Plymouth v Bury preview

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Plymouth are confident last weekend’s hero Reuben Reid will be available to face fellow play-off hopefuls Bury.

Reid grabbed a memorable Devon derby hat-trick as they put Exeter to the sword last Saturday but the striker limped off seconds after his third and has not trained this week but boss John Sheridan is optimistic he will be available to face the Shakers.

Sheridan will, however, be forced into one change with Olly Lee missing. The Pilgrims are set to extend his loan deal, which expired after the final whistle at Exeter, until the end of the season but he will be suspended this weekend having seen red against the Grecians.

Plymouth are ahead of Bury on goal difference coming into this Home Park clash.

Bury manager David Flitcroft expects to have a fully-fit squad at his disposal if Ryan Lowe shakes off a hamstring injury.

The 36-year-old veteran striker is close to a comeback and Flitcroft will assess him in training on Thursday and Friday to decide if he is ready to make his first appearance since mid-January.

Tom Soares, who this week signed a new deal at the JD Stadium along with fellow midfielder Andrew Tutte, is back following an ankle problem too.

Flitcroft is blessed with options in defence too, allowing Pablo Mills to join Cheltenham on loan on Thursday, pending the completion of the relevant documentation.

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Plymouth v Bury preview

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Plymouth are without suspended captain Conor Hourihane when they welcome Bury to Home Park.

The 20-year-old midfielder is banned after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in the 2-0 defeat to Chesterfield last Saturday meaning Curtis Nelson will lead out his boyhood club.

In Hourihane’s absence, manager John Sheridan looks set to choose two out of Dominic Blizzard, Luke Young and Hamza Bencherif to play in the centre of midfield.

Sheridan is short of attacking options with Tope Obadeyi and Marvin Morgan both sidelined and he could hand Sheffield Wednesday loanee Caolan Lavery his first start since arriving at Home Park.

Bury will be without Tom Soares when they head to Plymouth.

New boss David Flitcroft revealed he was hopeful Soares would play some part earlier in the week, but his hamstring injury is worse than first feared and the midfielder will be given plenty of time to rest with the Shakers in rude health elsewhere.

There are no other injury or suspension concerns for Flitcroft to worry about, although it was confirmed last weekend that on-loan striker Danny Hylton would go back to Rotherham after sustaining a groin injury.

One of the players who Bury will not come up against is striker Tope Obadeyi, who has been borrowed by the Pilgrims but is unable to play against his parent club.