Both Town's injury concerns, Thomas Gaardsøe and Jim Magilton, are still in the running for Saturday's trip to Highfield Road. The pair have been suffering with groin injuries but have improved as the week has progressed.

Gaardsøe is very much expected to be OK after training on Thursday morning while Magilton has been training with fitness coach Simon Thadani and has improved dramatically as during the week and will have a fitness test on Friday.

Joe Royle says his side could have done with Gaardsøe against Nottingham Forest: “We missed Thomas last week, on all three goals we were done a little bit for size. Of their goals, two came from headers and one was a header. We missed Thomas' size about the place, so it will be nice to have him back.”

Darren Bent is still probably a couple of weeks away from action due to his torn hamstring but if his recovery is ahead of plan then he might be back for the end of the Easter programme.

John McGreal and Mark Venus continue their recoveries slowly. Both have been out for some while after knee injuries, and in McGreal's case a subsequent back problem. It is taking them a while to get to full fitness, although they are now in training with the squad. Only Finidi George (hip injury) is still on the sidelines.

Alun Armstrong was involved in Wednesday's reserve defeat to Watford but still looked far from fit, however with Darren Bent injured he is likely to be on the bench at Highfield Road.

Royle says that the mood in the camp is good: “They are full of confidence and in good form. They are up for the challenge. We know we're not favourites and we know everyone is trying to make us say that this is a do or die game, that we've got to win this one, that we've got no chance now. We don't see it that way, we're still going for it and while it's still mathematically possible, we will. There will be changes in these last five games.”

He is aware that Gary McAllister's Coventry are, although not in administration, in a similar financial situation to Town: “They have ongoing problems. They've been all those years in the top flight and you can see that they are suffering with the fall-out of relegation; they've let players go. So, there is a similarity there.

“I'm surprised that they're not higher in the table and in contention because they were good at our place and their manager's still a good player. It's not an easy game, but for us it's a good ground to go to, it's usually a good pitch and we're looking forward to it.

“I know we were disappointed by last week's result but when you see it all again, as I suspected at the time, we played very well for a lot of the game. The first 25 minutes was as well as we've played. We had a seven or eight minute collective walkabout at the back and that's cost us the game in the end even though we did equalise. But we played very well against a strong side. If Thomas is back we'll be that much stronger.”

Richard Naylor had a game he will want to forget against Forest but his manager is not being too hard on him: “He had his first wobble but it was going to come. He's been outstanding in the position. Because he's had one wobble it won't stop him going on and making progress. He'll play Saturday.

“I had a little chat with him after the game but he didn't want to talk. He was quite desolate, but he's fine now. He's OK, he was in good form this morning. Funnily enough since he's become a centre-half his finishing's improved!”

Royle was largely unimpressed with the reserves performance on Wednesday, although he felt young right-back Scott Mitchell did well as midfielder Antonio Murray and 16-year-old centre-half Aiden Collins. Royle was also concerned that Dean Bowditch was looking tired.

Likely squad: Abidallah, Armstrong, M Bent, Couñago, Gaardsøe, Holland, Makin, Magilton, Marshall, Miller, Naylor, Pullen, Reuser, Richards, Westlake, Wilnis and Wright.

Photo: Action Images

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