Ban on the cards for Athletic trio

MARK ALLOTT: One of three Athletic players with four yellow cards.

TWO more Athletic players are walking a disciplinary tightrope ahead of Saturday’s clash with Yeovil at Boundary Park.

Defender Reuben Hazell was already on four yellow cards for the season, and he has now been joined by striker Lee Hughes and midfield man Mark Allott.

Hughes and Allott were both booked for fouls during Athletic’s superb win against league leaders Scunthorpe on Tuesday night.

And, along with Hazell, they are only one caution from being hit with an automatic ban.

The suspensions would come into effect after seven days, so if any of Hughes, Allott and Hazell are booked on Saturday they will miss the FA Cup tie at Cheltenham.

Captain Sean Gregan is the only Athletic player to be banned so far this season — he sat out three games for a straight red card against Hartlepool.

Fellow defender Stefan Stam could be back for the first-round tie on Saturday, November 8.

The Dutchman, along with Richie Byrne, are a week to 10 days away from being fit again.

Stam has been out with a knee ligament injury picked up in training earlier this month, while Byrne is recovering from a hamstring strain sustained against Leicester City.

Former Aberdeen full-back Byrne will be eager to prove his fitness as his current contract runs out a week today.

Yeovil expect to have a double boost for their trip to Boundary Park as defenders Terry Skiverton and Terrell Forbes are set to return.

A rib injury forced Skiverton out of the midweek draw at Huddersfield, while ex-Latics man Forbes has completed a suspension.

That’s a relief for manager Russell Slade, who has been short of numbers during a disappointing start to the season.

Yeovil have one of the smallest budgets in League One and have been dipping into non-league clubs such as Fisher Athletic and Potters Bar Town to recruit some of their players.

Athletic fans who attended the Scunthorpe game are reminded to retain the voucher they were given at the turnstiles.

They will receive another on Saturday and, if Athletic beat Yeovil, holders of both vouchers can gain free tickets for the Leyton Orient home match in December.

SCUNTHORPE’S defeat against Athletic could have come at a heavy price for the League One table-toppers.

Their leading scorer, Gary Hooper, left Boundary Park on crutches and is thought to have suffered a fractured foot.