Town boss Paul Jewell says he is considering whether to make changes for today’s home game against Nottingham Forest with the match coming only 48 hours after the 1-0 defeat at Reading. The Blues manager will be forced into one change with central defender Ibrahima Sonko suspended, while Jason Scotland faces a fitness test this morning after missing the Madejski Stadium game due to the hamstring injury he suffered at Leicester on Boxing Day.

Jewell was due to evaluate his players’ fitness at training yesterday and will check them out again this morning before picking his team.

Speaking after Saturday’s match, he said: “We’ll have to see how the players are on Sunday and on the morning of the game because two games in 48 hours is a lot to ask. We’ll have to assess the players and see how they are.”

Ívar Ingimarsson looks set to replace Sonko, who picked up his fifth booking of the season at Reading, but aside from the Icelander coming into the centre of the defence alongside Damien Delaney, Jewell will probably want to stick with the same side which was unlucky to lose to the Royals as long as everyone's fit.

Arran Lee-Barrett should continue in goal with Aaron Cresswell at left-back and Carlos Edwards on the right.

In midfield, skipper Grant Leadbitter is likely to keep his place in the centre alongside Lee Bowyer with Lee Martin on the right and Daryl Murphy on the left.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas could well play alongside Michael Chopra for the second game running even if Jason Scotland passes his fitness test, the 21-year-old having impressed at Reading.

Keith Andrews remains on the sidelines with his torn hamstring, while regular substitute Reece Wabara has returned to Manchester City at the end of his loan spell.

Jewell says his team will be out to extend Forest’s poor run, although he’s thinking more about his own side than the opposition: “It’s about what we do. We’ve got to try and make sure we make that run eight games.

“Forest have got some good players and they’ll be thinking they’re only one result away from going on a good run themselves. Our concern is our players rather than their players at this moment in time.”

The Tricky Trees have gone seven games - 10-and-a-half-hours — since scoring, their last goals ominously having come in their 3-2 victory over the Blues at the City Ground.

Manager Steve Cotterill says his 22nd-placed side, who are three places and six points behind Town, ought to have got something from their New Year’s Eve game: "We've had treble the amount of shots Cardiff had and ended up losing the game 1-0. It's a difficult one to take - there's not a lot wrong with us.

"If we were losing games four or five-nil on a regular basis I'd think there was a real problem but we're not. But we're putting ourselves under immense pressure by not taking our chances.

"I keep coming in after games and telling the media that I felt we didn't deserve to lose the game and I have to say the same today. I thought we were the better team but I've said that time and time again now.

"We've just got to carry on searching for the solution because there's no fairy godmother who is going to give us it on a plate."

Forest striker Robbie Findley is a doubt with a shoulder injury having been subbed in the defeat to Cardiff. Winger Paul Anderson and striker Dexter Blackstock are also concerns with hamstring problems.

Defender Joel Lynch is definitely missing having picked up his fifth booking of the season against the Bluebirds with Guy Moussi expected to switch to centre-half. Ishmael Miller (foot), Chris Cohen (knee), Wes Morgan (ankle) and Brendan Moloney (knee) are all still sidelined.

Ex-Town loan striker Marlon Harewood has returned to the City Ground on a short-term deal after a spell in China but international clearance is not expected to come through in time for the 32-year-old to be involved.

Lee Martin was on loan with the Tricky Trees in 2008/09, while Michael Chopra made three Forest starts and two sub appearances without scoring in 2004 when on loan from Newcastle.

New Forest re-signing Harewood was on loan with the Blues in 1999, scoring one goal in five starts and one sub appearance. Midfielder George Boateng spent time training with Town in the summer, while Paul Jewell also targeted Guy Moussi before he signed a new deal at the City Ground.

Historically, the visitors very much have the upper hand, winning 32 of the games between the two sides (29 in the league), 14 (13) ending in draws and Town winning 18 (17). The Midlanders have won the last four matches between the teams.

Last month, Town fell to their second 3-2 defeat in two games as Forest netted twice in the last six minutes to come from behind to deny the Blues their first win at the City Ground for 12 years.

Former loanee Danny Collins scored two goals in a game for the first time in his professional career, putting the Blues in front twice, but Robbie Findley equalised for the home side before the break, then Joel Lynch and Marcus Tudgay netted another leveller and the winner in injury time.

The sides last met at Portman Road in January 2011 in ex-Forest player Roy Keane’s final game in charge of the Blues.

Damien Delaney’s own goal just before half-time was enough to see the visitors to a 1-0 victory over a Town side which was reduced to 10 men in the final moments when Grant Leadbitter was red-carded for a studs-up challenge on Forest midfielder Paul Anderson.

Today’s referee is Carl Boyeson from East Yorkshire, who has shown 47 yellow cards and five reds in 20 games so far this season. Boyeson’s most recent Town match was the 4-2 defeat at Leicester on the final day of last season in which he booked five players, including Damien Delaney, Grant Leadbitter and Lee Martin, and awarded the Blues a penalty.

Squad from: Lee-Barrett, Wright, Edwards, Cresswell, Kennedy, Delaney, Ingimarsson, Smith, Bowyer, Leadbitter, Bullard, Drury, Martin, Carson, Chopra, Emmanuel-Thomas, Scotland, Ellington.

Photo: Action Images

MattinLondon added 11:33 - Jan 2 Looking at our team its only Cresswell that oozes anything resembling flair or creativity. A drab team that is badly in need of that sparkle.
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TimmyH added 11:48 - Jan 2 I can see Forest scoring today and maybe the first draw of the season at home 1-1
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hogster1970 added 11:49 - Jan 2 defo mattin, i would like to see bullard start along side bowyer, as i know he has a had a poor start but we all know he has tools in his locker to deliver a killer pass or shot leadboots has neither, defo carson in for murphy either puss murphy up front of bench, he is wasited on the wing and only there for height which to me is a bad move as its to tempting for the keeper and defenders to keep pumping ball up to him in the air rather than play on the ground, with the pace of carson and martin and some good passes from central midfield could see up produce some quality ball to the front 2, some thing we defo lack, as well as the poor form of the back four, we have the players just need jewel to sort them all out, also strengthen in the transfer window, defo need the obvius but also we need to be looking at that young creative midfielder with flare and pace.

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wherescounago added 11:49 - Jan 2 The sun is shining, it's a New Year and let's be postive. Things can only get better can't they????? A scrappy 1 nil for me with Chopra doing the business!
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bobble added 11:58 - Jan 2 3-0
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Mother_Hogster added 13:35 - Jan 2 Unable to go to the match today, as feeling poorly.Will be listenig on the radio, so COYBs I think we could get a good win, even if it's to upset my other half !!
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