Town will be without Kevin Horlock and Adam Proudlock when they face QPR at Portman Road on Saturday. Better news for manager Joe Royle is that Owen Garvan and Ian Westlake are back in training and are in contention for places on the bench.

Horlock could be used in an emergency but the Blues are not keen to risk the former West Ham man due to his knee problem. The knee injury Proudlock recently picked up in the reserves is again troubling the loanee.

Westlake and Garvan played a half each as the reserves defeated Norwich 3-0 on Monday but aren't yet considered fit enough to start. Nicky Forster is over his knee problem and has trained all week.

Fellow frontman Sam Parkin is out for three to four months but is said to be doing well, while Norwegian midfielder Vemund Brekke Skard is back at the club after his recent groin operation and is on target to make his debut in January.

Town scouts have been impressed with Dean McDonald during his loan spell at Hartlepool but, despite the current dearth of strikers, there are no plans to recall the former Arsenal trainee. Young Irishman Billy Clarke is once again expected to be on the bench.

Royle is not considering using Richard Naylor up front, partly due to the shortage of resources at the back. Fabian Wilnis, Naylor's likely replacement at the centre of the defence should he be switched, looks certain to come in at left-back now that Jay McEveley's medial ligament tear has ended his loan spell with the Blues.

The Town boss says his side aren't too far from a return to form, despite only one win in 10 games: "I don't think we're too far away. I can see improvements in us and I was pleased last week against one of the strongest sides in the division. I would put Wolves up there with the sides just behind Reading."

Royle will have to decide whether to continue with the 4-3-3 utilised last week or switch to 4-4-2. A return to the 4-5-1 used earlier in the season is unlikely with Parkin on the sidelines.

Nicky Forster will start up front with Dean Bowditch the only other fit senior striker. It remains to be seen whether Darren Currie, a fan of QPR as a child during his uncle Tony's spell at Loftus Road, will be used in midfield or in a more advanced role.

Gavin Williams, who Royle hopes to make a permanent signing in January, looks a certain starter in midfield, as does French loanee Jimmy Juan. The Town boss will have to choose between skipper Jim Magilton, who is expected to be OK despite again suffering with an arthritic toe, and Matt Richards for the other midfield berth.

Royle says he hopes to get revenge on Ian Holloway, a manager that he rates highly: "They inflicted our first defeat of the season on us. It was the start of our injury problems which haven't really gone away. In the second half there was a big fightback and we have a chance to avenge that defeat.

"Olly does a great job there with a nil budget and I'm a great admirer of his. I read in some quarters that he's under some pressure, which I find amazing. But then again, after this week, nothing in football amazes any more."

Holloway will be without long-serving skipper Kevin Gallen who strained a hamstring on Saturday at Stoke, while ex-Bristol City midfielder Tommy Doherty is sidelined with a leg injury.

Midfielders Marc Bircham and Steve Lomas could both return from injury to face the Blues. Dominic Shimmin, Matthew Rose and Dane Marc Nygaard, linked with a move to Town back in 2001, are back in training and could be ready for involvement at Portman Road.

Former Blue Georges Santos missed the trip to Stoke with a shoulder problem but could be back to face his old club after returning to training.

Saturday's referee is Matt Messias from West Yorkshire who has shown 44 yellow and two red cards in 13 games this season. Messias last took control of the Blues in the 1-1 draw at Preston in February.

Squad: Barron, Bowditch, Clarke, Currie, De Vos, Forster, Garvan, Haynes, Juan, Magilton, Naylor, Peters, Price, Richards, Sito, Supple, Westlake, Williams, Wilnis.

Photo: Action Images

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