x

Price Faces Fitness Test - Ipswich Town News

Keeper Lewis Price is considered a doubt for Town's first ever game at Hull City's KC Stadium on Wednesday evening (KO 7.45pm). Price has travelled with the squad and faces a fitness test on a groin injury.

The Wales international appeared to be having trouble kicking throughout the 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace on Boxing Day and Shane Supple stands by to take over should Price fail to make it.

Town are likely to name the same squad as for the Palace game with no third keeper available other than keeper-coach Andy Rhodes. Academy first-year Ã"skar Pétursson is back home in Iceland for Christmas.

Midfielder Kevin Horlock is over his knee problem but is short of fitness after his spell on the sidelines and needs more training before he will be considered for the first team.

Striker Adam Proudlock remains out with his knee injury, while Billy Clarke won't be back until mid-January after dislocating his elbow in the reserves and Sam Parkin is unavailable until well into the new year after breaking his ankle.

With experienced options short, Town are unlikely to be changed at the back against the Tigers, with Sito continuing on the left and Fabian Wilnis on the right. A new left-back is one of Joe Royle's priorities in the transfer window.

Darren Currie could drop to the bench as he generally has away from home in recent months with Danny Haynes or Dean McDonald perhaps coming in wide on the right or as a second striker should Joe Royle decide to switch to a 4-4-2 formation.

Skipper Jim Magilton may be in line for a recall in midfield with Owen Garvan and Ian Westlake both not long back from injury and games coming thick and fast over Christmas.

Hull are without defender Roland Edge due to a groin strain, while Ian Ashbee, Ben Burgess, Steve McPhee, Alton Thelwell and Danny Coles are long-term injury victims.

Striker Billy Paynter could be handed a start, as may former England midfielder Nick Barmby. Another likely starter is winger Ryan France who spent time on trial with the Blues in 2003 prior to joining the East Yorkshire club.

Wednesday's referee is Clive Oliver from Northumberland who has shown 52 yellow and two red cards in 21 games this season. Oliver has not previously taken control of a Town game.

Probable squad: Bowditch, Currie, De Vos, Forster, Garvan, Haynes, Juan, Magilton, McDonald, Naylor, Peters, Price, Richards, Sito, Supple, Westlake, Williams, Wilnis.

What to read next:

McKenna: The Challenge is to Recapture the Energy From Swansea Against Wrexham
Town boss Kieran McKenna says it’s important his team start their run of seven games in 22 days positively when Wrexham visit Portman Road for the first time in their history on Saturday.
McKenna: O'Shea Has Fantastic Qualities as a Defender and is an Outstanding Leader
Blues boss Kieran McKenna has praised Dara O’Shea both for his captaincy and his role at the heart of the defence.
McKenna: It's Going to Be All Hands on Deck
Saturday’s home game against Wrexham is the first of seven matches in 22 days for the Blues, a run which manager Kieran McKenna says will require all hands on deck for the next few weeks.
McKenna: It Will Be Good to See Them Both
Blues boss Kieran McKenna says he’s looking forward to being reunited former Town pair Nathan Broadhead and Kieffer Moore when their Wrexham side visit at the weekend but hopes he doesn’t see the best of them on the pitch.
McKenna Happy International Players Had Brilliant Experiences
Town boss Kieran McKenna says the players who have been away on international duty have unsurprisingly come back in a positive mood given the results some of their sides have achieved.
McKenna: We're All Happy Leif Has Signed New Deal
Town boss Kieran McKenna is delighted that left-back Leif Davis has signed a new contract with the club, which runs to the summer of 2029, and says there’s plenty more to come from the 25-year-old.
McKenna: Squad in Really Good Health
Blues boss Kieran McKenna says his squad is in really good health ahead of Saturday’s home game against Wrexham as Town go into a run of seven games in 22 days with Alex Palmer and Sammie Szmodics close to returns and Wes Burns having played a behind-closed-doors match during the international break.
Wark Signing Books in Woodbridge on Sunday
Blues legend John Wark is holding a book signing at Notcutts Woodbridge on Sunday morning from 10.30am until midday.
U21s at Leicester, U18s Host Hammers
Town’s U21s are in Premier League Cup action away against Leicester City at their Seagrave Training Ground this evening (KO 7pm), while the U18s host West Ham United in their version of the same competition at Playford Road on Saturday (KO 11am).
Davis Signs New Deal
Left-back Leif Davis has signed a new contract with the Blues, running to the summer of 2029.