Northampton v Wycombe preview

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Lee Collins is a major doubt for Northampton’s finale with Wycombe.

The centre-half damaged medial ligaments in his knee just before half-time of Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Burton and is set to miss the Cobblers’ final game.

Marc Richards could start for the first time since February, though, after making three substitute appearances following an Achilles problem.

The 18-goal top scorer has been nursed back into the side after an operation in March.

Wycombe are boosted by the return of Aaron Pierre as they look to steal an automatic promotion slot on the final day.

The centre-back has served his suspension for his red card at AFC Wimbledon and will return to the fold but there are fitness doubts over Sido Jombati, Sam Saunders and Joe Jacobson who will missed the 1-0 loss to Morecambe last time out.

Ainsworth, who was only able to name four substitutes against the Shrimps as they do not have a reserve or youth team, will give those players as long as possible to recover.

His Blues must better the results of Southend and Bury to jump back into a top three position, something they occupied for the majority of the season.

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Northampton v Wycombe preview

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Northampton have no new injury or suspension concerns as they host Wycombe looking to climb out of the League Two relegation zone in time for Christmas.

Izale McLeod, Stuart Dallas and Clive Platt all returned to Aidy Boothroyd’s starting XI for last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Bury, while fit-again striker Roy O’Donovan stepped off the bench in the second half.

Midfielder Darren Carter missed out due to illness but returns to the fold and will hope to make the bench at Sixfields for a Cobblers side currently 23rd in the table.

Long-term absentees Kelvin Langmead (knee), Lewis Hornby (back) and Alex Nicholls (broken leg) remain sidelined.

Wycombe will be without striker Steven Craig when they travel to struggling Northampton.

The Scot has been ruled out for six weeks after pulling his thigh in their 1-1 draw with Scunthorpe and he has been joined in the treatment room by Paris Cowan-Hall, who is undergoing further assessment to determine the extent of the knee injury he picked up in that match.

But having missed out with a back complaint, defender Gary Doherty is hopeful of a return to training ahead of Saturday’s clash.

Charles Dunne (fractured tibia) and Jon-Paul Pittman (knee) are continuing their recoveries.

Northampton v Wycombe preview

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The Cobblers are boosted by the return of a handful of players ahead of the Chairboys’ visit.

Midfielder Chris Hackett missed the FA Cup replay at Bradford in midweek through illness, while leading scorer Adebayo Akinfenwa was only fit enough for a place on the bench against the Bantams due to a sickness bug.

They have both now recovered and should go straight back into the starting XI along with on-loan goalkeeper Lee Nicholls, who together with forward Jake Robinson was ineligible for the first-round replay in West Yorkshire.

Midfielder Ben Harding, who has been an unused substitute recently, is ready to play again after almost a month out with an ankle injury.

Forward Louis Moult will serve the final game of his three-match ban while defender John Johnson will undergo a second knee operation on Saturday that will keep him out until January.

Wycombe’s preparations have been given a boost with the return of Marvin McCoy (ankle and fibula) and Matt McClure (hamstring) to full training with Danny Foster (groin) set to follow suit.

Gareth Ainsworth has been without plenty of his first-team regulars in recent weeks but Gary Doherty (back), Matt Spring (calf), Jo Kuffour (ankle) and Anthony Stewart (thigh) also look set to return to training within the next 10 days.

Matt Bloomfield (groin) and Grant Basey (cruciate) continue their rehabilitation and are yet to return to training.