Page 20 - Jermaine Wright News Today

Neil Midgley made his first start for the Town senior team in this rather drab and bad pitch affected game at Vale Park. The Blues, missing both Jim Magilton and David Johnson, just did enough to beat a Port Vale side which looked better than their lowly position suggests.

Town avoided an FA Cup shock with a comfortable win over ten-man Morecambe. Jamie Clapham scored after a minute before Jim Bentley saw red for the visitors. The second goal, from Darren Bent, was a long time coming before Ambrose added a third and Bent notched his second and Towns fourth.

Key defender Gareth McAuley says he could be fit enough to face Nottingham Forest today, despite manager Roy Keane saying that the Northern Irishman wouldn’t be fit enough to play two games in three days. McAuley, who is continuing talks regarding his new Town contract, was a surprise inclusion at the Ricoh Arena after recovering from achilles surgery.

Boss Mick McCarthy believes his Town side are well worth their second place in the Championship at the halfway point in their season.

Goalscoring hero Sixto Peralta will miss Saturdays crunch clash with Sunderland at Portman Road. The Argentinian injured his foot towards the end of the Leicester game and was replaced with Jim Magilton.

By fairly coldgit@reserves (average temperature, during the match, being 5 degrees Celcius. )

Once again Town fans will travel home thinking their side ought to have got something from an away performance. Two Juan Pablo Angel goals put Villa in the lead after Finidi George had put Town ahead with a low drive from 25 yards. Despite the usual late flurry no equaliser materialised for Town.

Marcus Bent has emeged as a new doubt after he injured his back in training on Sunday. The Town striker is set to be replaced with either Darren Bent or Pablo Couñago.

After Saturdays win against Watford Town manager Joe Royle revealed that Jim Magilton had played with a groin injury. Magilton was involved in the Town midfield three with Jermaine Wright and Tommy Miller.

Town welcome Georges Santos and Fabian Wilnis back to the back four for the trip to Millwall after the pair missed out last week through suspension and a hamstring injury respectively. However, Richard Naylor is on the sidelines due to a hamstring/knee problem.