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Wright Not Right - Ipswich Town News

Full-back David Wright has emerged as a big doubt ahead of Saturday's trip to Hull City (KO 12.30pm). The former Wigan man has an infected blister on a heel which is being treated with antibiotics.

Boss Jim Magilton says he will leave it until as late as possible before ruling Wright in or out: "It is not looking very good and looks painful. We will leave a decision until tomorrow when hopefully it will have cleared up enough to enable David to play.

"If he is unfit then I am spoiled for choice to bring in a replacement. Fabian Wilnis will play anywhere for me, but I perhaps see him more as a central defender these days, while we also have Sito and Chris Casement.

"They have both done outstandingly well in the reserves this season and I would not hesitate in naming them in the side.”

The more experienced Wilnis looks slightly ahead of Sito and Casement in the pecking order, despite playing much of his football at centre-half of late and will probably return to the side for the first time since his red card at Plymouth if Wright is unable to play.

One concern Magilton won't have this weekend is Neil Alexander having to dash home at a moment's notice, with his wife Joanne having given birth to their daughter Olivia on Wednesday.

Alexander will continue in goal with Dan Harding on the left of the defence and Alex Bruce and Jason De Vos in the centre. Richard Naylor has stepped up his return from toe surgery and is expected to begin ballwork next week.

Magilton will have to decide whether to stick with Gary Roberts on the left of midfield or switch things around and bring back Sylvain Legwinski, who started the last away game at West Brom in the former Accrington's man's place.

The Frenchman's recall meant Tommy Miller moving to right midfield and Jon Walters to the left, but with Hull currently having problems at left-back — centre-half Damien Delaney stood in during Wednesday's Chelsea game — Magilton may prefer to keep former Tiger Walters in the position in which he has impressed so far this season, which will probably see Roberts keep his place in the side.

Jaime Peters will hope to play some part from the bench, while Gavin Williams, who will be back jogging next week, is looking to return to action in November.

Up front, Alan Lee, who was the subject of a number of offers from Hull in the summer, will partner Pablo Couñago, with Danny Haynes back on the bench after completing his three-match ban for his red card in the reserves.

Tigers boss Phil Brown says his side need to take their opportunities in front of goal having gone 273 minutes since last netting from open play: "We are creating chances in games but, unfortunately, we have not been taking them.

"There have been plenty of games where the outcome would have been very different if we were able to take our opportunities when they come along.

"We're creating chances but we must be more clinical. We saw that at Sheffield Wednesday last week and even against Chelsea and we have to improve that.

"Home games are becoming incredibly difficult for any team in the Championship because of the way away sides put men behind the ball. So, when we pen teams back in their own half, we have to take our chances."

Brown is expected to recall midfielders Bryan Hughes, Dean Marney and Richard Garcia after the trio were rested for the midweek 4-0 Carling Cup defeat to Chelsea.

Veteran striker Dean Windass is back in light training after a calf injury, but summer signing from Wigan Caleb Folan is unlikely to be involved against Town.

Hull are likely to include former Blue Wayne Brown at centre-half, the 30-year-old having joined the Tigers in the summer from Colchester United. Also in Phil Brown's squad is winger Ryan France, who had a trial at Portman Road in 2003 while with Alfreton Town.

The Blues won last season's corresponding fixture 5-2 with goals from Franny Jeffers, Jaime Peters, Alan Lee, Jason De Vos and Danny Haynes, while Dean Windass netted both for Hull, one from the penalty spot. The Portman Road game earlier in the season had ended 0-0.

Fans travelling by road should note that the Walton Street car park next to the ground will be shut all day while preparations for Hull Fair are ongoing. Instead, supporters are advised to use the park and ride at Priory Park, off the A63 Clive Sullivan Way.

The game was originally scheduled to be a 3pm kick-off but has moved to accommodate the Superleague play-off semi-final between Hull FC and Wigan Warriors in the evening.

Saturday's referee is national list official Lee Probert, who has shown 11 yellow and no red cards in seven games so far this season. The Gloucestershire-based ref's last Town game was last season's 1-0 defeat at Colchester, a game in which loanee Jon Macken was denied what seemed a perfectly good goal.

Squad: Alexander, Bruce, Casement, Clarke, Couñago, De Vos, Garvan, Harding, Haynes, Lee, Sito, Legwinski, Peters, Roberts, Supple, T Miller, Walters, Wilnis, Wright.

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