TEAMtalk

Southend v Aldershot preview

Monday 19-March-2012 15:26

Southend continue to be without Anthony Grant for the match.

The midfielder, who missed Saturday's 3-2 victory at Hereford, serves the final game of an enforced two-match suspension having collected 10 bookings this season.

On-loan striker Jack Sampson failed a late fitness test on his groin injury at the weekend and will again be assessed.

Manager Paul Sturrock made five changes at Edgar Street - new signing Christian Dailly coming in for his debut while there were recalls for Ryan Hall, Chris Barker, Kane Ferdinand and Elliot Benyon.

All five can expect to start once again against an in-form Aldershot side who have won seven of their last 10, although five of those have come on home soil.

Liam Dickinson (ankle) and Jean-Paul Kalala (knee) will not play again this season while Bilel Mohsni remains unavailable for selection.

Meanwhile, Aldershot are sweating on the fitness of Adam Mekki, Josh Payne and Wilko Risser.

Mekki stands a chance of making a speedy return to fitness having missed Saturday's 1-0 win over Bradford with a nasty ankle injury which, sustained at Crawley last Tuesday, appeared set to rule him out for longer.

Midfielder Payne and match-winner Risser were forced off in the second half against the Bantams and will be assessed, although manager Dean Holdsworth is prepared to bring in fresh faces.

"We have two or three players who will be touch and go for Southend and it looks as though we may have to make some changes," he told the club's official website. "We have a decent enough squad that will be tested."

Ross Worner (back), Alex Rodman (pulmonary embolism) and Michael Rankine (leg) have been ruled out for the rest of the season.