Town will be without Alan Lee, Chris Casement and Ian Westlake when they face Derby County in this season's final home game on Saturday. Westlake has returned to training after his ankle injury but is not included in the 17-man squad.

Lee pulled a hamstring and broke his nose in Monday's 2-1 defeat at Watford. Casement hurt his ankle in the Brighton game but could be back in contention for a place in the squad for the final match of the season at Plymouth a week on Sunday.

Other than long-term absentees Sam Parkin and Gavin Williams, Town have no other injury concerns ahead of the Rams' visit. Parkin is expected to be included in the reserves next week.

Assistant manager Willie Donachie, standing in for Joe Royle at the regular pre-match press conference, is keen for the Blues to get back to winning ways after going eight matches without a victory. However, despite the results, he says has been too displeased with the effort put in: "People have been saying all season that we're in a transition with a lot of young players. Recently we've come up against experienced teams and physically it's been men against boys.

"But there was only really the first half against Watford when I've been really disappointed. The rest of the games I've felt they all tried their best and given what they could and that's all you can ask for. And even in the second half at Watford, after being particularly poor, they showed a lot of character, came back, worked hard and almost got something out of the game.

"I don't think it's anybody going off on their own or not being there for us, it's just the way things are. Our stronger players have been out injured and our young players aren't quite ready.

"But it's the only way to learn. It's easier if you have only one or two young lads in a team, but they are all getting valuable experience."

Skipper Jim Magilton will make the final appearance of his seven-year stay at Town and could be handed a start in the centre of the midfield, alongside either Owen Garvan or Jimmy Juan. The Frenchman might also be playing his final home match with the loanee from Monaco's future very much in the balance. Norwegian Vemund Brekke Skard is likely to drop out of the line-up after making his debut at Watford last week.

Matt Richards will probably continue on the left of midfield and Darren Currie is a likely starter on the right with the Blues expected to return to Joe Royle's preferred 4-4-2 after last week's 4-3-3 at Watford.

Donachie says Royle is yet to decide whether to recall keeper Shane Supple or stick with Lewis Price. The Wales international came back into the starting line-up at Watford on Monday after Supple was on the end of a number of heavy challenges in the Brighton match. Both are fit and awaiting Royle's decision.

Ahead of the keeper, Richard Naylor will continue at centre-half unless he is required to replace Alan Lee up front. Fabian Wilnis will play alongside Jason De Vos if Naylor is up front, with Sito coming for him at right-back. Jay McEveley, who like Magilton will also play his final home game, will compete with Scott Barron for the left-back spot.

Nicky Forster will maintain his place up front having scored two goals in two games since his return from injury. The ex-Reading man will be partnered by Danny Haynes, Dean Bowditch or perhaps Richard Naylor.

Derby are currently managed by former Town youth coach Terry Westley who is in charge in a caretaker capacity until the end of the season. Westley's previous visit to Portman Road as a manager brought a rare victory for his Luton Town side in October 1995.

Westley will be without central defender Darren Moore who is suspended, while on-loan striker Kevin Lisbie, anti-hero of the East Anglian derby at Portman Road earlier in the season, may miss out due to a persistent hamstring problem. Another loan striker, Spurs' Mounir El Hamdaoui, is expected to be out of action for the rest of the season due to a groin injury.

Veteran defender Alan Wright has also been ruled out for the remainder of 2005/06 due to a hamstring problem, while Paul Boetien has a calf injury.

Saturday's referee is Lee Probert from Gloucestershire who has shown 112 yellow and six red cards in 37 games this season. His last Town match was the 2-2 draw at Stoke in January.

Squad: Bowditch, Currie, De Vos, Magilton, McEveley, Forster, Garvan, Haynes, Juan, Naylor, Peters, Price, Richards, Sito, Skard, Supple, Wilnis.

Photo: Action Images

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