Preview: Town – Barnsley
By Aston
November 30 2007
Town go into tomorrows game against Barnsley looking for a 13th straight home win and possibly move up to 3rd in the table.
Town have just one player missing, Richard Naylor is currently out after slipping a disc in his neck in training earlier this month.
Town squad: Alexander, Bruce, Clarke, Counago, De Vos, Garvan, Harding, Haynes, Lee, Legwinski, Miller, Roberts, Supple, Trotter, Walters, Williams, Wilnis, Wright.
Town manager Jim Magilton: "Teams normally love coming here to play, what with a good pitch and a great atmosphere, we have obviously got a great record at home at the moment and the opposition can be intimidated by that.
"They can also look to come here and be determined to be the first to stop us in our tracks. It's up to us to deal with that and we have to be positive from the start.
"It's important that we start the game at a good tempo, get a foothold in the match and get the first goal. The first goal is important at any level but it seems even more so in the Championship.
"Barnsley have surprised many people this season but not themselves I'm sure.
"They have brought in a number of new players from all over the place and gelled them into a team and they have had some excellent results this season, including a victory over the team most consider favourites to go up come May, Watford.
"I have seen them play a couple of times and they have got some very good players. Their keeper, Heinz Muller, has been getting some rave reviews and rightly so. Dennis Souza has done well for them, they play with two wide men and Jon Macken is up front for them.
"He did a great job for us while on loan here last season and is a very good professional."
The Tykes will be without Brian Howard and Jamal Campbell-Ryce, both of whom are serving one match bans, Rob Kozluk and Bobby Hassell are both injured while goalkeeper Heinz Muller is a doubt.
Barnsley manager Simon Davey: "Ipswich have an excellent home record and have won 12 matches on the bounce there. We want to make it an unlucky 13 for them. It will not be easy though but all runs have to come to an end.
"We have a strong squad here and there are players kicking their heels in the stands who are desperate to be in the team. We will be without two players this weekend and it is up to someone else to come in and grasp their opportunity.
"We lost heavily at Ipswich last season and we want to rectify that. That result kick started our season and we went on to win three on the bounce. We are a better squad this season.
"We will be without Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Brian Howard, Rob Kozluk and Bobby Hassell for this weekend. Miguel Mostto, Rohan Ricketts, Andy Johnson and Marciano Van Homoet will come into the squad. Heinz Muller has not trained today so we will take Nick Colgan down with us as well.
"I know the team and I have made my mind up about how we will play. We have not yet decided who gets the armband".
Officials-
Referee: A M Penn
Assistants: C J Francis and T Mason
Fourth Official: J M Hayto
Match Odds-
Town: 7/10
Draw: 11/4
Barnsley: 24/5