BURY boss Stan Ternent faces a major derby dilemma over the next 24 hours.

The Shakers were completing preparations for tomorrow's big Lancashire battle at Preston North End with question marks over three crucial positions.

The biggest headache Ternent faces surrounds the goalkeeping position where the manager must decide whether to stick with in-form Lee Bracey or bring back the club's number one Gary Kelly. Bracey grabbed his chance with both hands when a family illness forced Kelly to miss the 1-1 draw at Chester a fortnight ago. And the reliable reserve got the vote against Northampton last Saturday thanks to Ternent's policy of sticking with his men in form.

Now Ternent must decide whether Bracey's role as a virtual spectator last Saturday should earn him the vote again or whether he should play his highest rated keeper in the crunch clash.

"One of them will play," was all Ternent would reveal today as he also faced the decisions over who should replace striker Phil Stant, who begins a two-match suspension, and midfielder Lenny Johnrose, who serves a one-match ban tomorrow.

Shaun Reid is likely to return to the engine room with Mark Carter and David Johnson both pressing strong claims to partner Rob Matthews up front. Despite last Saturday's demoralising 1-0 home defeat when Ian Hughes gifted Northampton the goal, Ternent is confident the team he turns out will do themselves proud against a team which has lost just one game since the opening day of the season.

"I won't have a problem with my players tomorrow," was the manager's confident claim today.

"We never do in the big matches. It's against the lesser opposition when we let ourselves down. All I'll be asking is for them to eliminate the stupid mistakes.

"All matches are big matches for us although this is a little bit more so with it being a local derby."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.