Luke Hyam and Cole Skuse missed training today but assistant caretaker-manager Chris Hogg expects both midfielders to be fit to travel to Reading tomorrow ahead of Saturday’s game at the Madejski Stadium. Grant Ward will miss out as he serves the first game of his three-match ban for last week's sending off.

“We’ve a few boys who are just carrying a few things but everyone’s pretty well,” Hogg said. “Luke Hyam hasn’t trained today but hopefully he’ll be fine tomorrow.

“Cole Skuse has had a little bit of illness but he’ll as good as gold for tomorrow to travel. We’re looking OK, we’re looking pretty much as well as we can be.”

Town remain without keeper Dean Gerken (hip), full-back Dominic Iorfa (groin), skipper Luke Chambers (dislocated shoulder, fractured rib and sternum) and fellow central defender Adam Webster (hamstring), midfielders Emyr Huws and Andre Dozzell (both knee), and Tom Adeyemi and Teddy Bishop (both hamstring), and strikers David McGoldrick (groin) and Joe Garner (head, knee and shoulder).

Hogg admits the last-gasp 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest and then the 4-0 home hammering by Aston Villa following Ward's red card have been a baptism of fire.

“It certainly has but that’s football,” he reflected. “It’s how games go sometimes. We’ve been relatively happy with the performances, in the Forest game especially up until the 88th minute and the boys have given us everything they have in that game.

“Same with Villa, the plan was OK, a few adjustments were needed but in football incidents happen and the game was difficult then.

“One thing I’ve got to say is that it wasn’t through a lack of effort from the players or application and their attitude and their effort, as it has been all season, has been bang on.

“Again, you’re looking for a reaction this week coming into training and again they’ve had their heads down working as hard as they can, taking on information and trying to be as positive as they can be.

“I can’t give them praise enough, we need to get some points in the next two games, just for them to finish the season off really well.”

Photo: TWTD

bluehook added 14:57 - Apr 26 Good to see that some things don't change after MM's departure. The Illness and minor injuries continue unabated. 😂
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 16:00 - Apr 26 Iorfa has been out a long time with his groin injury. In fact, so many long-term injuries at the Town. Will they even be ok for next season?
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Northstandveteran added 16:17 - Apr 26 Hogg out!!!!!!!
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prebbs007 added 16:33 - Apr 26 Let's hope they don't play. Skuse is well past his best and needs replacing with a much more dynamic younger alternative and Hyam is just utter cr&p. No way he should be given an extended contract. Will get down marks I'm sure coz @hes one of our own” but he is truly shocking and must be nowhere near the squad if we hope to do anything next season. Tbh of the 11 that started against Villa I would only see 2 in our best XI. BART & Waggy. The rest (not loanees because we don't own them) are not good enough for a promotion push. Some of the kids could develop and grow into squad/first team players. But right now we are so far away it's frightening. Appreciate it's end of season etc etc etc but the fact remains the new manager will need a load of new players if we want to succeed.

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Dalty added 16:59 - Apr 26 prebbs007 - Disagree with you on Skuse but not on Hyam, while he's done ok since he's returned agree he needs moving on in the summer. Regarding reinforcements, from ME's interview it sounds like the new manager will have to work under the same financial restrictions as MM so it's very difficult to see us acquiring the 10 first team players you talk of (I'm discounting Bart as I'm sure we'll lose him this summer). Have to hope ME makes an appointment that can get career seasons out of our experienced players whilst developing several of our talented youngsters into first team regulars if we are to mount a surprise promotion push next season.

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CornardBlue added 17:41 - Apr 26 Not a great lover of Skuse but at least he stays fit most of the time. To many sick notes at club who get injured and we never hear anything about them apart from out for the rest of season. I don't include poor Andre Dozzell who was very unlucky in first game of season.
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KiwiBlue2 added 04:19 - Apr 27 Agree Cornardblue. One thing the new manager should take a good look at early on is the training routine and injury prevention strategies. I agree that it is a physical game and that things do happen but we seem to suffer a lot more long term injuries than other clubs. Tre plenty of things that can be done to reduce sk of hamstring injuries in particular.......
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