OXFORD United boss Chris Wilder is urging his team to take advantage of the turmoil at Bury when the U’s travel north in npower League Two tomorrow.

The Shakers lost boss Alan Knill yesterday, when he left to join Championship strugglers Scunthorpe.

Assistant manager Chris Brass and goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler also made the move to Glanford Park.

Wilder, who was No 2 to Knill at Gigg Lane before he joined Oxford, says he hopes his team can capitalise on what has inevitably been a tough time for Bury, who did not want Knill to leave.

“In my opinion, Alan deserved the opportunity of working at a higher level after what he achieved,” Wilder said. “He’s worked hard and he’s got ambition.

“They’ll try and deflect away what’s been happening this week. But there was an official approach from a club, and their chairman commented on it.

“For everyone at the club it’s an uncertain time.”

Oxford hope to build on back-to-back home wins over Crewe and Burton against a Shakers side who fell to fourth after Shrewsbury’s midweek win at Rotherham.

“It has closed itself right up,” Wilder said.

“I still think we’re in a reasonable position. We have got a difficult run-in, but we can put ourselves three points behind Bury on Saturday – so that’s our aim . . . to pull a few clubs back to us.”