Preview: Crewe – Town

By Aston
February 14 2006

STB brings you team news, manager previews, betting odds and the officials ahead of Towns game against Crewe tonight (KO 7:45pm).

Town are without Owen Garvan as he is serving a one game ban for picking up 5 red cards this season, Kevin Horlock is on-loan at Doncaster, Gavin Williams is injured meaning Jim Magilton is likely to return to the middle of the park with Vemund Skard on the bench. Up front it’s the same old story with Sam Parkin, Nicky Forster, Danny Haynes and Adam Proudlock all out so Alan Lee will be likely to be the loan striker with Currie supporting him or as part of two forwards with Richard Naylor joining him up front.

 

Town manager Joe Royle: “Crewe will be awkward - not in the way Burnley were, but will be harder than their league position suggests.

 

“They should have beaten us here. They were good, and we were poor, and they could have been out of sight first half but we came back to beat them.

 

“Crewe may be bottom but they wrecked a few coupons on Saturday with the draw against Wolves and they put three past Reading last week.

 

“They have not given up and it is never an easy game for us up there. I have a lot of respect for Crewe and what they do there.

 

“They will pass the ball, as we will, and it will be a good football match. We are confident and won't be going there on the back foot.”

 

Town squad: Scott Barron, Vemund Brekke Skard, Darren Currie, Jason De Vos, Jimmy Juan, Alan Lee, Jim Magilton, Dean McDonald, Richard Naylor, Jaime Peters, Lewis Price, Matt Richards, Luis Sito, Shane Supple, Ian Westlake, Fabian Wilnis. 

 

Kenny Lunt is available again for the Railwaymen after serving a ban but they are with out: Ben Williams, Adie Moses, Alex Morris while David Vaughan and Eddie Johnson are doubts.

 

Crewe assistant manager Neil Baker: “Ipswich are doing very well at the moment, and apart from Reading, are the form side in the division.

 

“They have managed to turn things around since Christmas and have a good squad full of players and are particularly strong in midfield.

 

“It is going to be a crucial part of the game, and if we can get the better of them there then we stand a chance of getting a result.”

 

Officials:

Referee: A R LEAKE

Assistants: K J Mattocks and G Mellor

Fourth Official: S A Pardoe

 

Match Odds From William Hill:

Crewe: 21/10

Draw: 11/5

Town: 21/20

 

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