New Town boss Roy Keane has an injury-ravaged squad from which to pick his side for Saturday's match at Cardiff, the last ever league game at Ninian Park. Ben Thatcher and Shane Supple joined the list of players out for the season earlier this week.

Thatcher partially ruptured his medial knee ligaments during last Sunday's 3-2 derby victory over Norwich City and misses the last two games of the season. Supple has returned from his loan spell at Oldham, also due to a knee injury which will see him play no further games until next season.

Also missing are skipper Gareth McAuley, who still has a hamstring problem, Luciano Civelli, out until 2010 with damaged knee ligaments, David Wright (hamstring) and Jordan Rhodes (broken metatarsal), while Tommy Smith is still a little way from first team contention having made two reserves appearances since recovering from his broken ankle.

Moritz Volz had an injection on his ongoing groin problem a week or so ago and was considered unlikely to play again this season as of last week, while Jon Walters aggravated his ankle injury against Bristol City and was left out of the 16 a week ago.

New boss Keane and first team coach Tony Loughlan seem unlikely to make too many significant changes to the team which won last week, partly due to the number of injuries and also because they have spent so little time with the squad since coming to the club.

Richard Wright is a certain starter in goal, while Alex Bruce looks likely to keep his role at right-back. In the centre, Pim Balkestein and Iván Campo will probably continue their partnership.

Jaime Peters did well as an emergency left-back against Norwich, but was playing in that position for the first time at any level. Matt Richards, the only fit left back currently at the club, may well receive a surprise recall. Peters and Chris Casement are both likely to be on the bench.

In midfield, Giovani Dos Santos is likely to be on the right, with Veliche Shumulikoski in the middle alongside Alan Quinn, with David Norris on the left. Up front, Pablo Couñago and Kevin Lisbie could again be paired.

Alex Bruce says the next couple of games could prove important for several members of the squad, especially the 13 out of contract at the end of the season, which includes himself: "It's a big couple of weeks for the players who are out of contract in particular.

"It's a fresh start for us and we have two weeks to show the manager that we are worth a new deal. We are going to have to train hard and deliver on the pitch and see where it leads. It's going to be a case of sink or swim.

"It's been well documented that I was offered a new contract but I felt that it wasn't what I was looking for.

"It's a chance for myself to show the new manager that I'm worth keeping around and we will see what happens over the next two weeks."

Cardiff are in fifth place on 74 points, four places and 14 points ahead of the Blues, requiring one point to confirm play-off qualification.

Manager Dave Jones is aware that the Town players will be looking to show Roy Keane what they are made of in his first game in charge: "They will be up for it now because they will want to impress the new manager.

"But that doesn't change anything for us. That's the case whether there's a new manager in, an old manager or they can't find anybody.

"Our preparation is still the same and still has to be and because they get a new manager doesn't mean they are going to be a fantastic team overnight.

"Roy will know he has work to do. There will be players who want to impress, but they should have been impressing all of the season.”

Jones says the fact that the match is Ninian Park's last league game shouldn't have an affect on his team: "We have to play the match against Ipswich – not the occasion.

"The point earned at Charlton in midweek will help. We can get beyond the nerves and tension, getting back to the football we have played over the rest of this season.”

Cardiff are waiting on one or two players ahead of Saturday's game. Keeper Stuart Taylor has been suffering with a dead leg with Tom Heaton the deputy if Richard Wright's former Arsenal colleague fails to make it.

Full-back Kevin McNaughton has a groin injury, while centre-half Roger Johnson is hoping to be OK, despite picking up a knee problem in midweek at Charlton and Darcy Blake is another concern.

Overall, the Blues have beaten Cardiff on 14 occasions (12 in the league), have lost 10 times (nine) and 10 matches (10) have ended in draws.

Last season, Town lost 1-0 at Ninian Park, Paul Parry scoring the only goal. Earlier this season, Dave Jones's men left Portman Road with a 2-1 win, Jay Bothroyd and Gabor Gyepes scoring the goals for the Bluebirds and Jon Stead netting for the Blues, while Ben Thatcher was red-carded for two bookable offences.

No current Cardiff player has previously been a Blue, although Town were linked with central defender Roger Johnson last summer. Contrary to some reports no bid was ever lodged, with the Blues signing Gareth McAuley instead.

Cardiff striker Warren Feeney's grandfather Jim Feeney played for Town in the 1950s. Feeney junior is currently on loan at Dundee United.

None of the Town squad have ever played for Cardiff, although Ben Thatcher is a former Welsh international.

Saturday's referee is Stuart Mathieson from Cheshire, who has shown 85 yellow and five red cards in 37 games so far this season. His last Town match was the 1-1 away draw at Wolves almost a year ago to the day.

Likely squad: R Wright, Bialkowski, Bruce, Richards, Peters, Casement, Campo, Balkestein, Shumulikoski, Garvan, Quinn, Miller, Norris, Dos Santos, Haynes, Lisbie, Couñago, Stead, Bowditch.

Photo: Action Images

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