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Town Out to Break Drought
Town Out to Break Drought
Friday, 2nd Mar 2007 12:28

Town go into Saturday's home game with QPR looking to score their first goal in 566 minutes of football. The Blues' last goal was Alan Lee's penalty in the FA Cup tie with Swansea in January, while their previous goal from open play came from Danny Haynes in the league victory over Colchester.

The Blues are still without midfielder Gavin Williams, who starred in Town's 3-1 win at Loftus Road earlier in the season, and defenders Richard Naylor and Fabian Wilnis.

Boss Jim Magilton says they are closing in on a return to action: "All three have done some training this week but the QPR game is too early for them.

"Fabian and Bam Bam could come into consideration for next Tuesday's game at Hull, or perhaps a run out on the Wednesday [in the reserves match at Ipswich Wanderers]. We'll have a look at them early next week and see how they are doing.

"Gavin is improving all the time as well and we may throw him in for Wednesday next week. Again, it's a case of monitoring his progress day by day but he's certainly not far away now.

"All three are desperate to get back in action as soon as possible. The treatment room is a quiet place at the moment and that tells me that everyone wants to stand up and be counted."

Magilton's backline will be unchanged with Dan Harding, Jason De Vos, Alex Bruce and David Wright ahead of Lewis Price.

The Town manager will switch back to a four-man midfield from last week's five. Magilton has various options with Jaime Peters, a sub at Southampton, having impressed more at home than away in recent weeks.

One of last week's central three, Owen Garvan, Sylvain Legwinski and George O'Callaghan, will drop to the bench, probably the recent signing from Cork City, while either Gary Roberts or Matt Richards will get the nod on the left.

Up front, the Town boss will probably recall Jon Walters, yet to net since his move from Chester, to play alongside Alan Lee, who has scored only once in open play since October, with Danny Haynes and Billy Clarke on the bench. Haynes in in the squad despite limping off in the first half of Tuesday's behind-closed-doors friendly victory over Colchester United.

QPR, currently in 22nd position, four points behind the Blues in 18th, are almost as goal-shy as Town on their travels, having failed to net in their last four away games, a run which saw them draw 0-0 at Leeds and lose 5-0 at Southend.

Rangers have striker Dexter Blackstock suspended after reaching his fifth booking of the season. Fellow frontman Stefan Moore is available again after suffering a facial injury.

Canadian international midfielder Marc Bircham is out for the season with a back injury, while skipper Marcus Bignot is not yet ready for a return to action after a medial ligament injury.

Saturday's referee is Rob Lewis from Shrewsbury, who has shown 78 yellow and three red cards in 21 games so far this season.

Lewis, most famous as the linesman who failed to award Pedro Mendes's goal at Manchester United a couple of years ago, has a card-happy reputation, having shown nine yellow cards in a Tranmere-Darlington fixture earlier in the season, eight in a Macclesfield-Lincoln match and seven in a clash between Yeovil and Millwall last month. He has not previously refereed the Blues.

Town currently sit second in the Championship yellow card table on 83, six behind West Brom with Leeds in third on 81. Players picking up their fifth booking of the season will no longer be subject to a one-match ban, February 28th having been the cut-off date.

TWTD issue 86 will be on sale from our sellers around the ground (by Sir Alf, Planet Blue and the Portman Road entrance to the Greene King Stand) for a couple of hours before kick-off. This issue's interview star is new signing George O'Callaghan.

The fanzine is also available via a six-issue subscription either for free or small amounts of cash from here or a single issue can be purchased online here.

Squad: Bruce, Casement, Clarke, De Vos, Garvan, Harding, Haynes, Lee, Legwinski, O'Callaghan, Peters, Price, Richards, Roberts, Sito, Supple, Walters, Wright.


Photo: Action Images



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