Preview: Palace - Town

By Aston
March 17 2006

STB brings you team news, manager previews, betting odds and the officials ahead of Towns game against Crystal Palace tomorrow (KO 3:00pm)

Town have no new injuries ahead of the game although Sam Parkin, Nicky Forster, Adam Proudlock, Gavin Williams, Ian Westlake and Jimmy Juan are all out with injuries while Richard Naylor is suspended and Jason De Vos is a doubt.

 

Town manger Joe Royle: “It's a tall order for us to reach the Play-Offs, it has been that way for a long time but it's still feasible.

 

“While it remains that way, we will be playing our best side. Now is not the time to start experimenting and playing the youth team. If we are 10 points adrift with three games left then it may be different.

 

“But we are still in there with a realistic chance and we will be going to Palace to give it a real go and with the intention, as always, of coming away with the three points.

 

“They are a good side with a wealth of strikers with Premiership experience, players who have also stayed fit this season with the exception of Andy Johnson and there lies the difference.

 

“The clubs holding down the Play-Off places have strikers with 15 goals to their name, I don't think we've got a striker who has played 15 games this season!”

 

Town squad: Scott Barron, Vemund Brekke Skard, Chris Casement, Billy Clarke, Darren Currie, Jason De Vos, Ricardo Fuller, Owen Garvan, Danny Haynes, Alan Lee, Jim Magilton, Dean McDonald, Lewis Price, Matt Richards, Luis Sito, Shane Supple, Fabian Wilnis.

 

The Eagles should be able to welcome back Marco Reich and Tony Popovic after injuries and Jon Macken is a doubt.

 

Palace manager Iain Dowie: “They may be a side that goes on a run and gets a few victories to get in the play-offs and Ipswich are capable of being that side. Joe Royle's got a good young side which he has built over the last few years and they're be difficulty to beat.

 

“I remember Joe at Oldham and he has the uncanny ability to be able to change his tactics after only 10 minutes. He always like to use wingers and play positive football so his teams are very entertaining.

 

“He's done a great job this year after losing the likes of Darren Bent, Kelvin Davis and Shefki Kuqi in the summer. He had a FA Youth Cup winning side so he has drawn some of the youngsters from that into the first team and he also has a very experienced core to the team with Richard Naylor, Jason De Vos and Jim Magilton.

 

“I think it will be a good football game because of Ipswich's style but any game at this level has a physical element to it. There are uncompromising battles but we have the players to deal with that.”

 

Officials:

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)

Assistants: G D Scott and I J Woodward

Fourth Official: I J Gosling

 

Match odds from William Hill:

Palace: 7/10

Draw: 11/2

Town: 7/2

 

Source: Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace the official websites.

 

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