FOOTBALLERS are a superstitious breed, but Joe Riley believes Bury are good enough to make their own luck.

The former Bolton Wanderers full-back confirmed the players had all chipped in £30 each to pay towards a flight home from today’s game against Portsmouth – a ploy that has spectacularly backfired in the past.

Defeats at Torquay last season and at Exeter and Wimbledon this campaign all followed a change in the normal routine, when the club ditched the coach to fly down in style.

But Riley rubbished supporters’ concerns about the move from a tried a trusted formula, which has seen David Flitcroft’s side equal a club record six consecutive victories on the road.

“It will change on Saturday, I am sure of that,” said the 23-year-old defender, referring to Bury’s flying hoodoo.

The young right-back’s confidence is founded on a backline he believes is the best he has ever played in.

The combination of Nick Pope in goal and Riley, Nathan Cameron, Adam El-Abd and Chris Hussey along the back four has been rock solid for Bury, who have kept nine clean sheets in their last 13 matches. They have also gone 516 minutes without conceding a goal away from home.

“I don’t feel as though I have played in a more solid back four,” said Riley, who featured for Bolton in the Premier League.

“The two centre-halves and Huss have been outstanding since I have come in, definitely.

“We’ve been fantastic away from home and we fancy our chances – fingers crossed we break the club record, but that’s not our main focus.

“If we do get the record, it is probably something we will look back on at the end of the season, but at the moment all we are focussing on is getting promoted.”

Bury go into the game fourth in League Two, four points behind Wycombe in the final automatic promotion spot, but with a game in hand over their rivals.

Riley admits to being relieved they are still within touching distance after missing three matches recently through suspension.

The young defender was shown a deserved red card for what he concedes was a rash tackle on Northampton’s Tom Newey.

But he made up for it by scoring the match-winner on his return against Shrewsbury in midweek.

“I have been due a goal like that,” he said, on his first goal in professional football. “I have come really close to doing it a few times when I was (on loan) at Oxford, but to do it for Bury in such a big game was fantastic.”

The feeling, he admits, was a polar opposite to his sending off.

“That was the lowest day in football, barring my injuries,” said Riley. “It is something I need to learn from, I am quite aggressive on the pitch but I need to control it.

“The gaffer has tried to help me with that and I’m sure it won’t happen again, I hope it won’t anyway.

“I was having a bit of a bad day, to be honest with you. I have played with Tom Newey as well so I need to say sorry to him, but I have tried to rectify my mistake.”