TEAMtalk

Bradford v Southend preview

Thursday 05-April-2012 14:03

Bradford manager Phil Parkinson hopes to include both Simon Ramsden and Ricky Ravenhill in his starting line-up.

Defender Ramsden returned from injury in last week's defeat at Plymouth, but was also struggling with a virus and hopes to have made a complete recovery.

Midfielder Ravenhill has been forced off in the last two matches due to knocks, but is also expected to be in contention for a place in Parkinson's starting XI.

Goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin (three-match suspension) and defenders Luke Oliver (three) and Andrew Davies (five) all sit out the second game of their respective bans following the brawl at the end of the recent defeat to Crawley.

Strikers James Hanson and Nahki Wells, plus midfielder Kyel Reid are all pushing for recalls to the side as the Bantams, only four points above the relegation zone, chase their first win in seven matches.

Southend boss Paul Sturrock will assess his ranks as late as possible.

The League Two promotion chasers have been hit with a sickness bug this week while a couple of players are also nursing minor knocks from last Friday's 4-0 win over Cheltenham, although Sturrock remains coy as to the identity of those affected.

Should everyone be passed fit then the Shrimpers boss will be hard pushed to make any changes to the starting line-up who brushed aside fellow promotion rivals Cheltenham so convincingly.

Centre-back Mark Phillips has returned to full training following a bout of concussion and will be monitored but fringe forward Blair Sturrock is unavailable having hobbled out of a reserve clash earlier this week.

On-loan striker Jack Sampson sees his loan come to an end after the Easter encounters, while Christian Dailly (broken toe), Liam Dickinson (ankle) and JP Kalala (knee) have been ruled out for the rest of the season.