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Town Wait on Defence Duo
Town Wait on Defence Duo
Thursday, 28th Apr 2005 17:03

Defenders David Unsworth and Fabian Wilnis are Town's injury concerns ahead of Saturday's crunch last home league game of the season against Crewe. Unsworth strained an ankle ligament in last week's draw at Leeds, while the Dutchman turned his ankle in training on Wednesday.

Boss Joe Royle says both his first-choice full-backs have a chance of being OK to face Dario Gradi's relegation-threatened side: "Friday will be a big day for them both. We will want to see them back in training and hopefully neither of them will miss the Crewe game.

"But, while we might be confident that both players will make it, we cannot say for certain until they actually go out and prove they are fit enough."

Drissa Diallo, back at Leeds as a sub after being out with a hamstring problem since December, will almost certainly come into the team at right-back should either player fail to recover in time.

If Unsworth is out and Wilnis fit, the former De Graafschap man would switch to left-back. Should both injury concerns fail to make it, Matt Richards would be called into the squad to play on the left of defence.

Royle's other main decision is whether to stick with the 4-3-3 used at Leeds or go back to the 4-4-2 he generally prefers. If he sticks with three strikers then Pablo Couñago will keep his place, if not the Town manager will use the Kuqi-Bent partnership which has yielded 36 goals this season.

At Leeds, Royle employed a midfield three of Kevin Horlock, Jim Magilton and Tommy Miller. Ian Westlake could come in for Horlock, while Darren Currie may be drafted into the starting line-up to add width if the Blues switch to a four, as they did late in the game at Elland Road.

The Town boss has also called winger or striker Dean McDonald into the squad. The 18-year-old former Arsenal trainee has been on a short-term deal at Portman Road and has impressed in a number of reserve matches. Pacy and full of tricks, McDonald could make his debut as a sub.

Kelvin Davis, who missed the trip to Leeds to be with his wife and new-born baby, will be back in goal with Lewis Price on the bench.

Tommy Miller will make his 100th league start for the Blues, while the FA Youth Cup-winning side will parade the trophy at half-time.

Crewe have gone 19 games since their last victory and are now only out of the bottom three on goal difference. They also have extensive injury worries with central defenders Colin Murdock (groin) and Chris McCready (knee) both set to miss the rest of the season.

Youngster Billy Jones, very highly rated at Gresty Road, is expected to make a return to the first team after missing out through injury since December.

Striker Steve Jones may also be fit enough to play, while full-back Anthony Tonkin has been ill all week and looks unlikely to be involved.

Long-serving boss Gradi says his side will come to Portman Road still hopeful of survival: "Maybe we'll pull it off and win our last two games. There is no reason we won't do it and I won't believe anything else until it's over.

"It's still in our own hands even though we've been having a terrible run. We could have won at Gillingham and if we'd taken our chances in the first half, we could have beaten Stoke.

"We should enjoy it on Saturday, it's what we're in this league for. If we can start at Ipswich like we did against Stoke, fingers crossed we'll take our chances."

Gradi is expecting a good game, although perhaps not the 6-4 scoreline from last season's corresponding fixture: "It'll be a proper football match, Ipswich will pass the ball about. Goal difference could still be a factor so we mustn't throw caution to the wind but we'll try and win it."

Saturday's referee is Clive Penton from Sussex, who has shown 99 yellow cards and six red in 35 games this season. Penton last refereed the Blues in October's 2-1 victory at Coventry when he awarded the home side a penalty which Lewis Price saved and booked Tommy Miller.

By the time of Saturday's 3pm start, the Blues will know how automatic promotion rivals Wigan did at Preston with the Lancashire derby live on Sky with a 12.15pm kick-off.

Squad: Bent, Couñago, Currie, Davis, De Vos, Diallo, Horlock, Kuqi, Magilton, McDonald, Miller, Naylor, Price, Scowcroft, Unsworth, Westlake, Wilnis.


Photo: Action Images



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