SHAKERS manager Alan Knill is facing a striker crisis just one week into the new season after summer signing Danny Carlton was ruled out for at least four months with a snapped Achilles.

Carlton, who sustained the injury in Tuesday night’s Carling Cup exit against West Brom, joins Andy Bishop and Andy Morrell on the treatment table.

Bishop and Morrell are both recovering from summer hernia operations, with both at least a week away from a return.

That leaves just Ryan Lowe and youngster Domaine Rouse as Knill’s only options heading into tough away trips to Darlington on Saturday and Hereford on Tuesday.

“Danny is out for at least four months and I’m gutted for him,” said Knill. “I thought Rousey was good when he came on in both games and he gives us an option.

“It’s his chance to shine now, we don’t know if we have any money to sign another striker so we just have to wait and see.

“Even though Andy Morrell looks fine in training, we wouldn’t want to start him. He might be able to do 20 minutes from the bench, but we would be loathe to start him.”

It has been a bad week for Knill, who has seen his side ship five goals in their opening two games of the season.

The Gigg Lane outfit have been punished for their mistakes in defeats to Bournemouth (3-0) and West Brom (2-0) — and Knill has told his players they need to turn it around quickly.

“It’s frustrating,” said Knill. “We have played the same way for 15 months and that means when the ball comes into our half, we compete, tackle and head.

“That’s the reason we didn’t concede many last year — we were a solid unit. It’s about being disciplined in the system. It has been proven to work in and out of possession so the players shouldn’t mess with it or try and do their own thing.

“If they do exactly as we ask, we will do okay. We don’t tell anybody to do anything other than what they are good at. I haven’t changed anything or done anything different.

“I can’t kick the ball for them, they have to make decisions for themselves. We keep it as basic as possible.”

Knill is keen for the experienced heads in his team to come to the fore and guide the team through a rocky start to the season.

“It just needs someone to sort it out on the pitch,” said Knill. “Sometimes the players are concentrating on their own job, but it’s a team game.

“Individuals might win you games with a bit of magic, but it’s the team that stops you from losing. That’s what we base everything on — that we don’t concede. At the moment, it’s going in too easy.”

Knill believes his team have the quality to repeat last season’s fourth place, but has warned them that it will not come easy.

“When the team has been relatively successful you have to be on your guard all the time,” he said. “Complacency can sometimes creep in.

“It’s expected that we will do exactly the same thing as last year and it doesn’t work like that. It only works like that if we work hard and play as a team. Everyone expects us to be doing well, and it’s frustrating because I expect the same.”

Meanwhile, Bury have appointed former Burnley ace Paul Weller as their new football in the community officer.