NICK POPE will return to York City with Bury hoping to carry on a run of form that has been as impressive as his spell at Bootham Crescent last season.

The on-loan Charlton keeper has only conceded six goals in 12 matches since joining tonight’s visitors in mid-January.

David Flitcroft’s team had shipped 18 goals in their previous dozen matches and the arrival of Pope, who kept 14 clean sheets in City’s last 18 fixtures of 2013/14, has coincided with the fifth-placed Shakers moving to within four points of the automatic promotion spots.

Bury have won five of their last six matches – the exception being a 1-0 home loss to Oxford after on-loan Bristol City defender Adam El-Abd was sent off for two bookable offences.

El-Abd is available for selection after serving a one-match ban but Flitcroft is expected to keep faith with the side that won 1-0 at Mansfield on Saturday, meaning Jim McNulty will retain his starting place.

Further up the field, 13-goal top marksman Daniel Nardiello looks set to miss out with a hamstring injury and Danny Rose, who has netted ten times this term, could also be absent after not making the trip to Field Mill either.

On-loan Bolton striker Tom Eaves made his Bury debut in that game as the lone central striker in the Lancashire club’s 4-1-4-1 formation.

He has not netted in 23 games since scoring more than 13 months ago during a previous loan spell with Shrewsbury.

Eaves, 23, has hit the target before at Bootham Crescent, however, getting the consolation during a 4-1 victory for the Minstermen over Bristol Rovers in December 2012.

Bury (probable): Pope, Riley, Cameron, McNulty, Hussey, Etuhu, Adams, Soares, Tutte, Mayor, Eaves.