Just how did we not lose that game? On another day, against better finishers, then we would have been well out of sight before Jimmy Smith’s admittedly against-the-run-of-play opener.

But, as I have often said, the league table doesn’t lie. According to several Bury followers, it’s not the first time their strike force has failed to convert their chances – so that’s why they are staring up the league table and almost certainties for the dreaded drop.

I would however still consider us fortunate not to have a conceded a hatful as our defence - on a concrete pitch - would have had no complaints had the game been out of reach, even in the first 15 minutes. Perhaps the ball did indeed bobble against Bury at the vital moment so perhaps the conditions were in our favour. We then rode our luck and ultimately proved to be deserved winners over the 90 minutes.

In all fairness we probably got of jail the other week at Preston when we were saved by some heroic defending and the woodwork. But, any goalkeeper will remind you that the posts and the crossbar are part of the defence and were used to good effect.

No such luck  though at sunny Scunthorpe on Good Friday as we were well beaten and for the first three minutes on Monday, it looked as if Bury had done their homework on us and no one would have begrudged these seemingly perennial strugglers a vital three points.

But for us it’s still onwards and hopefully upwards and into the final month, the home stretch of the season. Unfortunately the games are running out fast and it would take a brave punter to put anything on us going up.

To be totally honest, you would have to look back at some of the points dropped – Hartlepool and the ultimate double Scunny completed at the end of last week. However, we have rode our luck at times – Portsmouth at home and latterly the win over the Shakers.

Wherever we finish come April 27th, Russell Slade’s ever-changing selections have more often than not put in excellent shifts.

After all, with 19 wins now on the board and with four games to play, who is to say we are not totally out of contention and with Colchester – amazingly down the bottom – our next opponents, wouldn’t it be good to go to the soulless Weston Homes Stadium and avenge that October home defeat?

Keep the faith,

Up the O’s.