Goodwin suffers injury setback

Jim Goodwin: Still suffering with a thigh injury.

JIM GOODWIN will miss out once again as Athletic chase consecutive Coca-Cola League One victories.

The on-loan Huddersfield man is still suffering the effects of a thigh strain which has seen him absent for the last five matches.

He had hoped to make a return in the crunch relegation clash with Wycombe Wanderers at Boundary Park tomorrow, but Goodwin broke down after resuming full training.

Boss Dave Penney will stick with Kieran Lee as his right-back and is likely to make only one enforced change.

That comes as a result of striker Daniel Nardiello’s hamstring injury, which could see Deane Smalley pushed up front alongside Pawel Abbott with Joe Colbeck coming in on the right of midfield.

Ryan Brooke – scorer of a goal for the reserves in midweek – is also in contention, as is the returning Keigan Parker (groin).

Alternatively, Penney’s efforts to bring in a loan in forward could yet come off ahead of a match which, should Athletic win, could push the team up four places to 15th in the League One table.

Athletic (from): Brill, Lee, Hazell, Gregan, Jacobson; Smalley, Stephens, Whitaker, Taylor, Worthington, Abbott, Eaves, Colbeck, Furman, Aljofree, Black, Flahavan, Marrow, Brooke, Parker.

Wycombe manager Gary Waddock reckons the battle to avoid relegation will “go right down to the wire”.

The Chairboys are second bottom, seven points adrift of safety with only 11 matches remaining.

Wanderers are hopeful that loan duo Alan Bennett and Julian Kelly will stay with the club beyond the expiry of their loan spells tomorrow.

The pair have helped the club to three clean sheets in their time at Adams Park.

Wycombe (from): Heaton, Woodman, Hinshelwood, Bennett, Kelly, Keates, Mousinho, Phillips, McLeod, Beavon, Harrold, Pittman, Revell, Bloomfield, Shearer, Westwood, Montrose, Hunt, Ainsworth.