BURY face the first of what captain Sean Gibson has described as three title deciders when they travel to Bolton Association leaders Edgworth tomorrow.

The Radcliffe Road men go into the encounter 13 games unbeaten in the league but still 16 points behind the table toppers.

Defeat would leave them unable to bridge the gap with two games to play, while a 15th victory of the campaign would put them right back in the mix.

“If we lose we won’t be able to make up the points so you could say it is a title decider as we would be out of the title race,” said Gibson.

“But the only thing that will be decided if we win is that we will live to fight another day.

"Realistically, we need to win three games out of three to stand a chance of taking the championship, so we have three title deciders to come.”

Gibson admits there will be an extra edge to the game after an unfortunate set of circumstances in their head-to-head in the regular season led to Edgworth walking off the pitch.

The game was stopped midway through Bury’s reply after Edgworth pro Chris Read badly injured his knee.

Gibson was stuck at the crease on 12, with his side well set at 110-3 chasing 191 to win.

There was a further break in play for rain but the umpires took the players back out after it stopped and Bury were set a reduced target of 16 to win from 15 balls.

“In my mind both sides had an equal chance of victory, but the Edgworth captain (Brett Ernst) was unhappy with the revised target and the conditions and took his players off,” said Gibson.

“We were ready to play, the umpires wanted the game to continue but Edgworth didn’t.”

The Association handed both sides four points after a hearing - a decision Gibson admits still rankles with Bury.

“We feel a little bit hard done by about a couple of things that have happened this season,” he said.

“Our game against Winton was abandoned due to rain when most of the other matches in the league that day went ahead.

“And we would have backed ourselves to beat Edgworth from the position we were in, chasing 81 to win from 26 overs and with seven wickets in hand, before Chris was injured.

“We could have won both of those matches and be going into this weekend’s encounter in pole position.

“But we know what we have to do.

“In our minds we have already beaten Edgworth once, so we just have to go out and do it again.

“Saying that, they are a strong side with good players who like a tough encounter, just like us.

“So we know it won’t be easy, but we are 13 games unbeaten and if we can just carry on doing what we have been doing, and get another three wins, then the title will be ours.”

Second-placed Swinton Moorside will have something to say about that. They are nine points off top spot and host Bury on the final day of the season.

Swinton play at Atherton tomorrow and have a home match against Lostock to come next week before that potentially decisive encounter.

Elsewhere, Little Hulton go into today’s match at Darcy Lever with an 18-point lead at the top of Section C, while Section B leaders Adlington face a trip to close rivals Blackrod.

Fixtures

Section A: Edgworth v Bury, Atherton v Swinton Moorside, Lostock v Flixton.

Section B: Worsley v Winton, Blackrod v Adlington, Walshaw v Astley and Tyldesley.

Section C: Standish v Daisy Hill, Darcy Lever v Little Hulton, Westleigh v Golborne.