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Bru, Varney and Ambrose Back, Hunt, Hyam and McGoldrick Making Progress - Ipswich Town News

Kevin Bru, Luke Varney and Darren Ambrose are all available for Saturday’s crucial final home game of the regular campaign against Nottingham Forest, while Noel Hunt will play for the U21s on Monday and Luke Hyam and David McGoldrick could be back if the Blues make the play-offs.

Ambrose and Varney have been out with hamstring problems and Bru with a calf injury but manager Mick McCarthy confirmed that they are all now fine.

"They’re all fit, they’ve all trained, all three of them,” he said. "They all look OK. Darren Ambrose has been out longer, of course, but Kevin Bru has been out since the Watford game and Reg since the Blackpool game.

"So they’re OK, they’re all fine and Noel Hunt amazingly is out there training. He’s an incredible specimen.”

Hunt had been expected to miss the rest of the season with the knee injury he suffered at Fulham and McCarthy puts his Lazarus-like recovery down to hard graft.

"He’s recovered fairly quickly but it’s only Lazarus-like because of the work he’s put in,” he said. "He’s been eating the work up to get back, he’s a real specimen. He’s fantastic, remarkable.

"He’s trained fully today, trained yesterday and he’ll play on Monday in the U21s down at Cardiff with a view that he’ll be available for us at Blackburn because Reggie can’t be involved because it’s his parent club. It’ll be great to have him back if we’re in the play-offs - fresh players.”

The only new injury concern is Richard Chaplow, who McCarthy expects to miss Saturday’s game: "Chappers went off in training, he’s got a bit of a sore groin, so I don’t think he’ll be involved, but otherwise we’re OK, we’re fine.”

Loanee Jonny Williams returned to Crystal Palace earlier in the week having aggravated his groin problem in the U21s defeat to Bristol City.

"It’s a really big shame for him, first and foremost,” McCarthy said. "And for us because we’ve lost a wonderfully talented young player and such a lovely young fella to have around the place.

"But he’s hurt his groin again and it really is now for him to get that sorted out because he keeps rehabbing and breaking down. He needs to have it sorted for next season so he can start afresh.

"He doesn’t want to be starting pre-season with an injury because he’ll have missed almost a season.”

The Town boss had positive news regarding Hyam and McGoldrick, who have been out with knee and thigh injuries respectively.

"Hymsy was out on the training ground today, I almost threw him off as I didn’t recognise him!,” he joked.

"Didzy’s been on the running machine and is feeling much better but he’s not going to be involved this weekend.”

Could the Ireland international striker be back if Town make the play-offs? "Yes, possible. It’s almost getting the confidence back in it.

"If you keep coming back and it keeps breaking down you’ve got to get the confidence back in it. But he felt a lot better today and he’s doing his work.”

Irish U21 international winger Dylan Connolly is also back in training having suffered an ankle injury in training recently.

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