Southend v Northampton preview

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Barry Corr is available for Southend’s home clash against Northampton having won his appeal against last weekend’s red card.

The striker was sent off in the Shrimpers’ 1-0 win at Hartlepool when he tangled with defender Jack Baldwin but the dismissal has been rescinded and Corr will now not serve a three-match suspension.

Mark Phillips is struggling with a niggle and will be assessed, with recent loan signing Adam Thompson ready to step in if required.

Fellow defender Julian Bennett has been ruled out for around six months having ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament.

Clive Platt and Chris Hackett are both back in contention for Northampton’s trip to Southend.

Striker Platt and winger Hackett have not featured for the Cobblers this season due to respective calf and Achilles injuries, but they are set to bein boss Aidy Boothroyd’s matchday 18 at Roots Hall.

Defender Matt Heath will have a late fitness test having sustained a calf strain prior to last weekend’s 3-1 win over Newport.

However, Lewis Hornby (back) remains sidelined for a further month, while long-term absentees Kelvin Langmead (knee) and Alex Nicholls (broken leg) continue to miss out.

Southend v Northampton preview

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Injury-hit Southend do not expect any of their sidelined players to return in time for the visit of Northampton and manager Paul Sturrock’s list of absentees has got even longer.

Defenders Chris Barker (calf) and Mark Phillips (toe) will continue to miss out, along with the suspended Ryan Cresswell, who serves the second game of his three-match ban.

Leading scorer Gavin Tomlin is not expected to return from his thigh problem until next month, while Michael Timlin (broken leg) is ruled out for the rest of the season.

Midfielder Marc Laird picked up a hamstring injury during the first half of Tuesday night’s 2-1 defeat to Cheltenham and misses out, as does Caolan Lavery (hamstring).

Meanwhile, Kevan Hurst was absent from training on Thursday due to a virus.

Northampton manager Aidy Boothroyd will have an unchanged squad to choose from.

After seeing his side beat Rochdale 3-1 at home last weekend, Boothroyd must decide whether to stick with a winning team or, as he did against Dale, make one or two changes.

With long-term absentee Alex Nicholls, who is recovering from a broken leg, the only player unavailable, Boothroyd has plenty of options open to him.

On-loan midfielder Manny Oyeleke and striker Jake Robinson will be hoping for recalls after they dropped out of the side last Saturday.

Roy O’Donovan and Clive Platt replaced them in the starting XI and they will have their fingers crossed they did enough to keep their shirts.

Recent signing Lee Collins and fellow defender John Johnson, fit again after a knee injury, and midfielders Ishmel Demontagnac and Lewis Hornby were all on the bench against Rochdale and are other options for Boothroyd.

Southend v Northampton preview

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Neil Harris, Lee Sawyer and Liam Dickinson have been added to Southend’s list of absentees but Michael Timlin could make his second debut for the club.

Striker Harris was forced off after just 25 minutes of Tuesday’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy victory over Crawley nursing a groin problem, while midfielder Sawyer followed him into the treatment room at half-time carrying a thigh strain.

Forward Dickinson had already converted the only goal of the game from the penalty spot when he was shown a red card, meaning he now starts a three-match suspension.

Meanwhile, Timlin arrived on loan at Roots Hall from Swindon on transfer deadline day and, having spent six weeks with the Shrimpers last season, could go straight into Paul Sturrock’s plans.

Midfielder Jean-Paul Kalala (groin) and striker Barry Corr (knee) continue to miss out, while Southend terminated the loan deal of midfielder Alassane N’Diaye on Wednesday.

Northampton could be boosted by the return of three players.

Defenders Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi and Ashley Westwood and striker Jake Robinson are closing in on returns from injury.

“We are hoping to have both Nana and Jake available for selection,” said Town assistant manager David Lee.

“With Nana back we’ve got options in defence and Ashley Westwood is ready for a return to the first team as well.

“Ben Tozer went to left-back on Tuesday night and did very well against a good player.”

Kelvin Langmead, along with Westwood, has extended his stay at Sixfields but midfielder Kevin Thornton and striker Shaun Harrad left during the transfer window.

Southend v Northampton preview

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Southend boss Paul Sturrock could welcome Kane Ferdinand back into his squad.

The Republic of Ireland Under-19 international midfielder missed Tuesday night’s 2-1 win against Barnet with an ankle injury but Sturrock will assess the problem before naming his starting line-up.

Fellow midfielder Anthony Grant will miss out for the second successive game with concussion, while experienced centre-back Mark Phillips is sidelined with a groin problem.

Striker Harry Crawford is also a doubt with an ankle problem, but top scorer Barry Corr may be fit enough to regain his place in attack after dropping to the bench in midweek with a tight hamstring.

The Shrimpers have lost just once in their last nine matches and could move into the play-off places with a win against the Cobblers.

Northampton could be without Josh Walker, Ben Tozer and Leon McKenzie as they look to avoid equalling a club record of six straight draws.

On-loan Watford midfielder Walker lasted just 39 minutes of the latest 1-1 draw at Hereford in midweek before going off with a hamstring injury and is out.

Defender Tozer missed out altogether in midweek after injuring his hamstring last weekend while striker McKenzie continues to be a doubt with a thigh injury.

However, midfielder Abdul Osman is available again after completing a three-match ban, but striker Shaun Harrad serves the second of his three-game suspension.

Manager Ian Sampson said: “Josh, Ben and Leon are probably all going to be out of the game on Saturday so we will have to reshuffle the pack a little bit.

“John Johnson slotted in really well at centre-half at Hereford and defensively Paul Rodgers did an excellent job at right-back after coming in.”