BARRASS BLOW ROCKS SHAKERS

The young full back is said to be distraught. He has only just returned after missing the majority of last season with the same injury in the other leg.

Barrass collapsed in agony on Tuesday after making a challenge and immediately turned to the Bury bench and shook his head.

He is undergoing an operation today but Bury boss Andy Preece confirmed the news is grim.

"He is definitely out for the season and we are all absolutely gutted for him," said the manager, ahead of tomorrow's long trip to Dorchester, where Bury meet Bournemouth.

"I cannot imagine what he is going through at the moment but he will defnitely have my full support and I'll look after him.

"He was playing really well this season and it is such a shame. But at the end of the day he is still only 21 and he's got a massive future ahead of him.

"He's proved he can come back from this type of injury once and he's got to get his head down and do it again."

Preece must be cursing his luck after already losing Baichung Bhutia and Michael Nelson through long-term injuries.

And there are also several other players doubtful for tomorrow, most notably Jon Newby, who has not been training because of a dead leg. "He's only about 40-60 to play," confirmed Preece.

Also racing against time to be fit are Darren Bullock and Jason Jarrett (groan) who both failed to complete training sessions yesterday.

With so much doom and gloom it was perhaps vital that Preece did something to lift the mood and the midweek signing of Ian Lawson certainly did that.

Preece is delighted to get a player he has been tracking for almost a year and, despite the fact that Lawson is short of match fitness, the manager hinted that the new boy could well lead the Shakers attack tomorrow.

Leeds United winger Harpal Singh is also likely to start tomorrow. He impressed Preece with a superb cameo performance after coming on to replace Barrass at Wrexham.

"I didn't bring Harpal here to sit on the bench," explained Preece. "He is a quality player and he'll probably be more effective away from home because he'll get more space.

"With Harpal and Ian Lawson in the team we will have a lot more flair going forward and it gives a lift to everyone, including the fans."

For anyone thinking about making the five hour trip tomorrow, kick off is 3pm. The game - and this is quite important so read carefully - is at Dorchester FC's ground, not Bournemouth's Dean Court.

It's a game Bury could do with winning after losing six matches on the trot. Preece added: "I've had them watched four or five times. They've lost some good strikers, like Jermaine Defoe, and they are struggling. With the flair we'll have going forward I'm looking forward to it."

The young full back is said to be distraught. He has only just returned after missing the majority of last season with the same injury in the other leg.

Barrass collapsed in agony on Tuesday after making a challenge and immediately turned to the Bury bench and shook his head.

He is undergoing an operation today, but Bury boss Andy Preece confirmed the news is grim.

"He is definitely out for the season and we are all absolutely gutted for him," said the manager, ahead of tomorrow's long trip to Dorchester, where Bury meet Bournemouth.

"I cannot imagine what he is going through at the moment, but he will defnitely have my full support and I'll look after him.

"He was playing really well this season and it is such a shame. But at the end of the day he is still only 21 and he's got a massive future ahead of him.

"He's proved he can come back from this type of injury once and he's got to get his head down and do it again."

Preece must be cursing his luck after already losing Baichung Bhutia and Michael Nelson through long-term injuries.

And there are also several other players doubtful for tomorrow, most notably Jon Newby, who has not been training because of a dead leg. "He's only about 40-60 to play," confirmed Preece.

Also racing against time to be fit are Darren Bullock and Jason Jarrett (groin) who both failed to complete training sessions yesterday.

With so much doom and gloom, it was perhaps vital that Preece did something to lift the mood -- and the midweek signing of Ian Lawson certainly did that.

Preece is delighted to get a player he has been tracking for almost a year and, despite the fact that Lawson is short of match fitness, the manager hinted that the new boy could well lead the Shakers attack tomorrow.

Leeds United winger Harpal Singh is also likely to start tomorrow. He impressed Preece with a superb cameo performance after coming on to replace Barrass at Wrexham.

"I didn't bring Harpal here to sit on the bench," explained Preece. "He is a quality player and he'll probably be more effective away from home because he'll get more space.

"With Harpal and Ian Lawson in the team we will have a lot more flair going forward and it gives a lift to everyone, including the fans."

For anyone thinking about making the five-hour trip tomorrow, kick off is 3pm. The game -- and this is quite important so read carefully -- is at Dorchester FC's ground, not Bournemouth's Dean Court.

It's a game Bury could do with winning after losing six matches on the trot.

Preece added: "I've had them watched four or five times. They've lost some good strikers, like Jermaine Defoe, and they are struggling. With the flair we'll have going forward I'm looking forward to it."