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Horlock Back in Side - Ipswich Town News

Midfielder Kevin Horlock returns to the Town side for the home game with Reading after completing a one-match suspension. Town will still be without Owen Garvan and Adam Proudlock for the visit of the Royals.

Irish youngster Garvan has chipped an ankle bone but isn't too far away from a return to first team action. Proudlock jarred his knee in last Monday's reserve game with Spurs and is also not too far from fitness.

Boss Joe Royle has named a 17-man squad as the Blues look to extend their unbeaten run to five games against the division's second-placed side and meanest defence - the Royals have conceded only three goals on their travels.

Royle says his side will need to be better than they were against the same opposition at the Madejski Stadium last month: "I was very disappointed in us there, although I suppose it has been slightly qualified with their performances before and since. They are the hardest side to beat in our division, but we've got to have a go at it.

"I think we're improving. I thought Saturday, in many ways, was one of our best performances of the season, in all but the cutting edge. We have to find goals, we still need to be more prolific in front of goal, but the rest of the game is starting to come together.

"I thought we looked balanced, we looked athletic, we passed the ball well, we created openings and chances, but we've just got to stick them away."

While Royle was pleased with the performance, he wasn't happy with dropping two more points against a Coventry side he felt the Blues should now have beaten twice: "We've dropped four points against Coventry when we've been in the lead, and those four points would have seen us in a play-off position."

The Town boss says he will make changes for the Reading game but isn't yet sure of his side: "I still have one position which I'm thinking about. I know which way I'll probably go, but I'll consider it a bit further and as usual consult all the staff."

Midfield is likely to be the area where Royle is undecided. Kevin Horlock, who received his ban after amassing five bookings, will come back into the centre, probably in place of skipper Jim Magilton, while Gavin Williams will continue on the right after a promising debut at the Ricoh Arena.

Jimmy Juan looks to be settled into the other central midfield berth which leaves Darren Currie, Ian Westlake and Matt Richards all vying for the left midfield role. Westlake looked short of fitness after starting at Coventry and was replaced by Richards at half-time, the England U21 putting in another impressive display.

Currie may well get the nod ahead of the two youngsters with the Town manager recently tending to start the former Brighton man in home games and leave him on the bench when away.

Town look unlikely to be changed at the back, although Fabian Wilnis may be in contention for a return after an impressive second half performance in last month's 2-0 defeat to the Royals.

Nicky Forster, who faces the club he left on a free transfer in the summer, will continue to partner Sam Parkin up front. Parkin is still looking for his first home Town goal, while both Forster's goals have come at Portman Road.

Royle and Coppell went to the same Liverpool school and the Town boss says they remain close: "I've a lot of time and admiration for what Stephen's done there. He's one of my best friends in football and I'm delighted for him because I don't think he's always got the recognition he's deserved for the job he's done wherever he's been."

Coppell has received a blow ahead of the game with striker Dave Kitson unable to travel to Suffolk with the rest of the squad on Monday after suffering an injury in a training ground clash of heads with defender Peter Castle. The former Cambridge United man could still join up with the party on Tuesday, but is considered a doubt.

The Royals, who will equal their best ever league unbeaten run of 19 games if Town fail to win, are definitely without Icelandic midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson who remains on the sidelines with a groin strain.

Key midfield man Steve Sidwell, only recently back from a knee injury, is OK after hurting his foot against Hull at the weekend. The former Arsenal trainee would have been a Town target over the summer had they won promotion.

Tuesday's referee is Paul Melin from Surrey who has shown 43 yellow cards and five red in 14 games this season. Melin, in his second season as a league official, has not previously refereed the Blues.

Squad: Price, Supple, McEveley, Sito, Wilnis, Naylor, De Vos, Magilton, Horlock, Juan, Richards, Westlake, Currie, Williams, Parkin, Forster, Bowditch.

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