Preview: Stoke – Town
By Aston
February 22 2008
Town can close the gap on the rest of the play-off sides and open up the race to finish in the top two, if they can beat Stoke City at The Brittannia Stadium.
Town have a clean bill of health heading into the game with Stoke tomorrow, Alan Quinn and David Norris have both got over minior injury niggles and have been named in Jim Magilton's squad.
Town squad: Bruce, Bywater, Colgan, Counago, De Vos, Garvan, Harding, Haynes, Lee, Norris, Miller, Naylor, Quinn, Sito, Sumulikoski, Trotter, Walters, Wright.
Town manager Jim Magilton: "This is the time of the season when you cannot afford any slip ups. They are important weeks and the players are aware of this.
"If we manage to collect three points against the league leaders it will send a message ringing through the rest of the division that we are still in with a shout of an automatic promotion place.
"If we are to make a statement then this is the time to do it.
"Most people thought that West Bromwich Albion and Watford would build up a lead at the top, but it has not happened.
"They have slowly but surely been pegged back and although our definite aim is to ensure we grab a play-off place we have not written off our chances of a top two finish.
"We will probably have a training game today and I will see after then what selections I will make.
"There could be one or two surprises. We will have to wait and see.
"Stoke have players all over the park who can contribute - and I am sure will contribute - but Ricardo is someone we have to dominate or we will be in trouble. It is a big match for our back four."
Stoke will be without Danny Pugh and he is serving a one match suspension, Dominic Matteo is out with a foot injury while Paul Gallagher is doubt. Goalkeeper Marton Fulop will be included in Stoke's squad after joing on-loan from Sunderland to replace Russell Hoult who has joined Notts County on-loan.
Stoke have climbed to the top of the table after scoring 12 goals in their last four games, winning all four.
Stoke manager Tony Pulis: "They are a good side. Jim Magilton's just spent 3 million on two players. Velice Sumulikoski in midfield and David Norris who I know from Plymouth is an outstanding player.
"He's made a couple of good signings to add to the team we played about a month back and we know it will be a tough game.
"Their away form has picked up. I think Jim has done an outstanding job there. He had a little bit of difficulty last season sorting all out but they've done fantastically well and they'll fancy their chances.
"They've got good experience. Naylor and De Vos, Miller in midfield, they've got the lad Lee upfront. They've got some good players who have been around the block a few times so they won't find us daunting, they'll look forward to it.
"We've got to make it daunting and make sure we play to the level that we can play to, and create the atmosphere and the noise that we've created in the last two home games."
Match odds:
Town: 3/1
Draw: 12/5
Stoke: 1/1
Officials:
Referee: M J Jones (Cheshire)
Assistants: A J Horton (West Midlands) and M A Sutton (Derbyshire)
Fourth Official S Ihringova (Shropshire)
Sources: The Evening Star and Stoke City FC - the official website
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