Town manager Joe Royle has a number of injury worries ahead of Wednesday's crucial league clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. Matt Richards and Fabian Wilnis have become the latest names to be added to a lengthy injury list.

Of the existing injuries Marcus Bent trained on Tuesday but was still unhappy with his hamstring injury. Darren Ambrose hasn't trained but he has been in action in the swimming pool as he seeks to recover from a knock to the knee sustained at Carrow Road on Sunday. He will have a late fitness test.

Fabian Wilnis picked up a slight hamstring in training but Royle is hopeful he can make it. Matt Richards twisted his ankle, also in training, and both players, along with Ambrose, will be tested tomorrow before any decision is made, with Richards and Ambrose considered the bigger doubts.

Young midfielder Ian Westlake has been added to the squad as cover for Richards while Matt Bloomfield will be added to the 17-man party if a couple of the injury doubts fail to make it.

Defender Mark Venus is still a month away from returning to action while Finidi George's hip scan has shown no serious problem. The Nigerian is currently in Spain where his girlfriend is having a baby.

John McGreal is still on the sidelines with a pulled muscle in his back, although he is improving but hasn't trained. Royle is hopeful that the ex-Tranmere man will be available next week.

In addition to all the injuries, Hermann Hreidarsson misses the final game of his four-match suspension while the Wolves game is Pablo Couñago's third of a similar spell out.

Royle admits he is short on players at present: “We are stretched at the moment, if you saw our reserves last night it was practically an Academy side.”

However, he was pleased with how Tuesday's training went despite the new injuries: “Training was great this morning. They know the challenge; we can't afford to look anywhere but to the next game.

“We've got a little bit of a mission for Wolves if you like, we all felt slightly aggrieved at the result at our place. Wolves are doing well at the moment, they seem to be scoring a lot of goals without ever playing to their best. I saw them beat Palace convincingly without being convincing.

“But they have talent there and I know Jonesy well. He says he feels they've under-achieved as indeed we feel here.”

Mark Kennedy, a player under Royle at Manchester City, is a man the Blues' boss sees as a threat: “He continues to supply most of their goals. He got them back in the game here with a super cross and he supplied three of the crosses on Saturday for their four goals.

“I know well that Mark is top class and on his day there is no better crosser of the ball in the game. So, we really do need Fabian fit. Fabian's in peak form at the moment and is even taking on the goalscoring mantle!”

Royle was delighted with his side's display at Carrow Road on Sunday: “I was delighted with the level of performance and the way we played. If we can do that then I still feel there is no one better in this division.”

The Town manager was particularly pleased to have got such a good result in a pressure game: “They showed they could handle big games. After a poor performance against Grimsby and a disappointing result against Wolves, I felt they showed immense character to come back as strongly as they did at Norwich.

“I was pleased for Andy Marshall, who has played far more dramatic games in his career, but just looked so safe and solid and that gave us a base. But right the way through, to the kid coming on and Bam Bam coming one to win a big header in the dying moments, everybody contributed and it was hard to pick a man of the match.

“And there were one or two suggestions after the Grimsby game that we were a long-ball team so it's nice to send them home!

“It was great for the fans and I'm delighted for them, and I do realise how much it means to them having been here for a short while. But beating Wolves gets us the same three points and we're catching up all the time, so we do have to go for the win.”

Wolves are not without injury problems of their own and George Ndah, who scored their fourth goal at Portman Road, is definitely with a torn hamstring while Lee Naylor jarred a knee during the weekend game against Crystal Palace. Shaun Newton and Colin Cameron were both replaced in that game due to foot injuries.

Paul Ince has a gash below his knee but is expected to be fit enough to play.

Town squad: Abidallah, Ambrose, D Bent, Bowditch, Gaardsøe, Holland, Magilton, Makin, Marshall, Miller, Naylor, Pullen, Reuser, Richards, Westlake, Wilnis and Wright.

Photo: Action Images

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