MAN of the match Andrew Tutte did his bit to help Bury force their way back into the League Two play-off places with the only goal of Saturday’s victory over basement battlers Hartlepool.

Now the 24-year-old midfielder, who was rewarded with an extended contract this week, wants the Shakers to underline their intentions with back-to-back victories against two of their promotion rivals.

David Flitcroft’s side travel to Devon on Saturday to take on sixth-placed Plymouth before entertaining Luton, who are fifth, on Tuesday.

Only three points separate the Hatters and seventh-placed Bury, but Tutte has loftier ambitions than simply cementing his side’s place in the end-of-season lottery.

“We want automatic promotion if we can, but we have got to take it game by game,” said Tutte, who is eager to bridge the seven-point gap to the top three.

“Plymouth and Luton are going to be very important games. If we can get six points it puts us in a great position I think.

“It’s only seven points to Wycombe (in third). Two wins and they could slip up.”

Tutte was clearly buoyed by his fourth goal of the season, which sealed another vital three points in Bury’s promotion quest.

And while he tried hard to temper his excitement by maintaining he and his team-mates would be taking it one game at a time, the Liverpudlian goalscorer vowed to do his bit to keep the Shakers in the frame.

“There are 14 games left and if I can manage to get another four goals I would be happy with that,” he said.

“The chairman said he wants me to get more goals and more assists, which I want to work on.

“I have been practising my shooting in training and it’s been paying off a little bit.”

Tutte is conscious of the fact, however, that he is entering into unchartered territory.

The former Manchester City trainee, who has extended his deal at Bury up to the summer of 2017, was relegated from League One with Rochdale in his first full season at Spotland after joining from the Blues.

And he signed for the Shakers in January last year, before Dale boss Keith Hill led them back up to the third tier.

But while Tutte may not have experienced a successful promotion charge, he can rely on advice from plenty of team-mates who have and is relishing the run-in.

“I have never been in the play-offs before,” he admitted.

“A couple have got promotions on their CV. They have that experience and the likes of me can take advice off the others.

“I just want a promotion now. All the lads do.

“We are so desperate for it – but it’s exciting. It’s what you are in the game for – that success.

“Every game you are going into you are excited to win.”