Rochdale v Walsall preview

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Rochdale boss John Coleman expects Marcus Holness to be fit.

The defender limped off in last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Brentford after picking up a knock.

Joe Widdowson replaced him in that fixture and he is likely to deputise again if Holness fails a late fitness test.

Fellow defender Kevin Amankwaah is set to retain his place following a successful return against the Bees after recovering from a groin injury.

Sean McConville is hoping for his full debut following his loan move from Stockport. The midfielder was introduced as a half-time substitute last weekend and Brian Barry-Murphy could make way again.

The defeat to Brentford meant Coleman’s side recorded back-to-back losses and are eight points adrift of safety in the relegation zone.

Walsall hope to have Richard Taundry and Adam Chambers back in contention for their crunch trip, but Jonathan Macken is a doubt.

Right-back Taundry has missed the last five games with a hamstring injury while midfielder Chambers has featured in just one of the previous eight due to a troublesome heel problem, but both are pushing to be involved at Spotland.

Macken, meanwhile, was forced off after 41 minutes of Tuesday night’s impressive 3-1 victory over Colchester nursing a hamstring complaint and looks set to miss out.

George Bowerman replaced the veteran striker and duly bagged the Saddlers’ third goal to settle the encounter, meaning he is likely to partner Emmanuel Ledesma in attack.

Fellow forward Will Grigg again misses out with a hamstring injury of his own.

Walsall are aiming to put more daylight between themselves and the drop zone. They are currently just one place and two points above the bottom four although eight points separate them from third-bottom Dale.

Rochdale v Walsall preview

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Rochdale manager Steve Eyre could make changes to his side.

Eyre has no other new injury or suspension problems and will pick from virtually a full-strength squad following Saturday’s 2-1 win over Wycombe.

Eyre told the club’s official website: “We might have to freshens things up a little bit, but we’ll be going into the game with only one thought process.”

Striker John-Louis Akpa Akpro and midfield pair Jason Kennedy and Brian Barry-Murphy all stepped off the substitutes’ bench at the weekend and are hoping to return to the starting line-up.

Winger Simon Hackney is on the verge of a return to training following an abdominal muscle tear, which has delayed his debut for Dale, while defender Joe Widdowson is struggling with shin splints.

Walsall welcome back captain Andy Butler.

The centre-back missed Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Carlisle as he served a one-match suspension for seeing red at Colchester the week previous.

Midfielder Claude Gnakpa was close to making his return from a hamstring injury at the weekend but once more missed out, and the Frenchman will again be assessed ahead of the trip to Spotland.

Striker Jon Macken was sidelined by a hamstring problem of his own against the Cumbrians and will play no part against Dale.

On-loan Derby winger Dave Martin shrugged off an ankle complaint to be included in the Saddlers’ matchday 16 and will again be involved.

Manager Dean Smith is likely to name a strong side for the tie as he looks to guide Walsall – without a win since their first-round triumph over Shrewsbury seven matches ago – into the regional quarter-finals of the competition for the first time in three years.