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Two More Pick Up Knocks Ahead of Barnsley - Ipswich Town News

Midfielder Tommy Miller and defender Pim Balkestein have joined Town's injury list ahead of Tuesday's home game with Barnsley. Miller has a dead leg, while Balkestein has picked up a groin problem and will undergo a scan on Tuesday.

Full-back Moritz Volz remains a doubt due to the hamstring injury he sustained during the Wigan game and which kept him out of the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace at the weekend. Town are also without long-term injury victims Tommy Smith (ankle, six months) and Ben Thatcher (torn thigh muscle, six weeks).

Richard Wright is likely to keep his place in goal for the visit of the Tykes despite his role in Palace's goal at the weekend, although Shane Supple will be hoping to push the former England international for his place.

Volz's likely absence will probably see Alex Bruce remain at right-back with David Wright on the left and Gareth McAuley and Richard Naylor in the centre.

Magilton again has decisions to make in midfield with Iván Campo perhaps coming in to a central role and adding experience to the side. David Norris could be given the nod alongside the Spaniard, particularly if Miller is unfit.

Alan Quinn will return to the 16 but not necessarily the starting line-up with Jon Walters, Owen Garvan and Veliche Shumulikoski all vying for midfield roles. Quinn will probably be recalled on the left with Walters likely to return to his more usual right midfield role.

Up front, Jon Stead and Pablo Couñago may get to play alongside one another for the first time since the Reading game, injury and controversial substitutions having kept them apart for the last few games. Danny Haynes and Kevin Lisbie are likely to be amongst those on the bench.

Magilton says he is aware that many fans crave immediate success after the injection of Marcus Evans's cash: "There is a fine line and balance and we know patience is not really a virtue in football.

"People want instant success and, because we have made such a hue and cry about a new owner and the financial backing he has given us, there is a view out there that it should happen right away.

"It takes time for players to settle in to a football club and players recognise the expectation levels.

"Fans expect to be entertained and if you are not winning games they very quickly air their opinions, that is life and players have to deal with that.

"I feel under pressure for the players to produce. I'm responsible for performances. After the international break our performances got better. We weren't at our best against Palace, we didn't lose but we weren't at our best.

"Last season we were outstanding at home and results flowed. Because results have not been coming people get a little jittery. We have a collective responsibility to produce.”

Barnsley, currently second bottom on five points with one draw and three defeats on their travels, will be without skipper Brian Howard, scorer of a hat-trick in the Tykes' 4-1 victory over the Blues at Oakwell in March, who is on the verge of joining Sheffield United on loan with a view to a permanent switch.

Loan striker Maceo Rigters, who was linked with the Blues last season before he spent time with Norwich City, is back after a hamstring problem, but fellow frontman Michael Coulson is a long-term absentee with a knee injury.

Manager Simon Davey has added two academy players, one only 15 years old, to his squad: "We are taking two youngsters down to Ipswich with us in Reuben Noble-Lazarus and Jamil Adam. They will both come down with us and could be involved some way.

"Jamil has scored a lot of goals for the academy and reserves in the last year. He is another I have given the chance to in the first team and another we have high hopes for.

"Reuben has just turned 15 but I had him with me in the academy. I gave him his first game with the U18s when he was just 12. He scored a hat-trick for the U18s against Sheffield United last weekend and is an exciting prospect.

"After getting a hat-trick it is probably the ideal time to give him the chance with the first team tomorrow. We are taking a squad of 19 with us to Ipswich Town and both could be involved on the bench.

"I though our performance against Norwich [on Saturday] was the best we have played all season. We had everything apart from the goals. We dominated possession, looked solid at the back and created chances. It could have been three or four at half-time but we need results at the moment.

"Ipswich Town have spent a lot of money to sign some good players. They are a good side but that is the same for everybody in this division. They have not won at home yet [sic] so we have to go there and exploit that.”

Former Town loanee Jon Macken joined Barnsley from Derby for £100,000 over the summer, having been on loan at Oakwell last season. The frontman missed a penalty in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Norwich.

Defender Marciano Van Homoet is former Blue Fabian Wilnis's cousin and had an unsuccessful trial spell with Town in December 2006 before joining the Tykes the following summer.

Town's club captain Richard Naylor spent time on loan at Oakwell late in the 2001/02 season, making seven starts and one sub appearance, while Jon Walters also spent two months on loan with the Tykes, back in 2003/04 while a Bolton player.

Striker Jordan Rhodes, currently on loan with Rochdale, was a schoolboy with the Barnsley academy, where he worked under current Tykes boss Simon Davey, until his father Andy joined Town as goalkeeper-coach. Rhodes junior moved to Town's youth set-up for a fee of £5,000 in March 2005.

Historically, Town have beaten the Tykes 16 times (15 in the league), lost on 11 (nine) occasions, while only four (four) matches between the sides have been drawn.

The Blues' most famous win over the South Yorkshire club was the 1999/00 Wembley play-off final with goals from Tony Mowbray, Richard Naylor, Marcus Stewart and Martijn Reuser taking Town to a 4-2 victory.

Last season, Town lost 4-1 at Oakwell, thanks to Brian Howard's hat-trick and one from Jon Macken, Pablo Couñago having put the Blues in front. At Portman Road in December the sides drew 0-0.

Wednesday's referee is Fred Graham from Essex, who has shown 13 yellow and no red cards in five games so far this season. Graham's last Town match was the 2-1 home victory over Blackpool last season in which he kept his cards in his pocket for the entire 90 minutes.

Likely squad: R Wright, Supple, Bruce, D Wright, Naylor, McAuley, Campo, Norris, Garvan, Miller, Shumulikoski, Quinn, Walters, Haynes, Couñago, Stead, Lisbie, Bowditch.

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