WYCOMBE Wanderers may not play the style of football Bury boss David Flitcroft wants to see his own side employ, but after the League Two leaders battled back to claim a point at the JD Stadium last weekend, he held them up as the perfect example for his players to follow.

The Shakers will go into tomorrow’s match at home to Carlisle in 10th place, hoping to bridge a three-point gap to the play-off places, while Wycombe are 13 points better off in top spot.

And Flitcroft says the difference between the two sides is not down to skill or quality, but discipline.

“I said to the lads (after Saturday’s game) to respect every one of those players and the way they do things,” he said, despite not being an admirer of Wycombe's direct style.

"Every man knows his job and that’s why they are where they are in the league.

“The way they run for each other, the spirit they have got, the way they are never beaten it is quite incredible and that is what they have built their success on this season.”

Bury have suffered a fall from grace since going top of the table following a 2-0 win at home to Tranmere on October 4.

They have lost seven of their 14 league games since then, but have picked up their results in recent weeks, losing just one of their last five matches.

Flitcroft has been busy in the transfer market, bolstering his back-line with the loan signings of Charlton goalkeeper Nick Pope and experienced centre-back Adam El-Abd, before last week bringing in Wanderers full-back Joe Riley on a permanent deal.

The introduction of El-Abd has added much-needed steel to the heart of the defence, but the Bury boss wants to see his players show more fight and focus across the board.

“We have hopefully learned something from a Wycombe team that, one, never gives up and, two, runs as hard as any team in this league, while every one of them does their job for each other,” he said.

“I am a massive admirer of Wycombe’s spirit.

“That’s why they are top of the league because they do not stop running. They are all on task and at times this season we have not been on task, with the way we play and the way we try to do things.

“They don’t make wrong decisions. They don’t make bad decisions.

“They know when to put it (the ball) in and where to put it in, they know where it is going and they execute with a high precision.

“When we have not done that, we have not won games.”

Riley will face a late fitness test before finding out if he can make his debut tomorrow after pulling up in training last Friday with a hamstring problem.

Flitcroft must also run the rule over striker Ryan Lowe and playmaker Danny Mayor, who both limped off after picking up knocks during last weekend’s match.