Port Vale v Swindon preview

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Port Vale boss Rob Page will be forced to change a winning team when automatic promotion hopefuls Swindon visit Vale Park.

Crystal Palace teenager Ryan Inniss has returned to his parent club after suffering an ankle injury in the victory at Coventry last weekend so Ryan McGivern may make his first start since mid-December.

Tommy O’Sullivan has rejoined Page’s men on loan from Cardiff and, in a like for like swap, will probably take Chris Lines’ place on the bench after the midfielder this week left Vale to finish the season on loan at Bristol Rovers.

Any other changes are likely to be kept to a minimum, which is bad news for Achille Campion and Richard Duffy as they look to break into the matchday squad.

Swindon manager Mark Cooper has no new injury worries after coming through last week’s win at Notts County unscathed.

The 3-0 success was just a second in seven games and Cooper revealed a clean bill of health ahead of a busy schedule.

One man who will miss out, however, is Louis Thompson, who underwent surgery on a shoulder injury that is expected to keep him out for the remainder of the season.

Ben Gladwin and Nathan Byrne returned to the side on Saturday after injuries, but Anton Rodgers is still edging his way back having recently recovered from a wrist problem.

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Port Vale v Swindon preview

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Carl Dickinson comes back into the reckoning for Port Vale against Swindon.

Dickinson has sat out the last two matches through suspension but will return to the squad on Saturday to bolster manager Micky Adams’ defensive options.

On-loan Sunderland midfielder Billy Knott could make his full debut after impressing as a second-half substitute during the defeat to Gillingham last weekend. Strikers Ben Williamson and Jordan Hugill are also in contention for a place in the starting line-up after coming on from the bench at Priestfield.

Rob Taylor has suffered a recurrence of his thigh injury while defenders Liam Chilvers (groin) and Richard Duffy (ankle) remain out, although both are progressing well in their recoveries.

Swindon will be without Jay McEveley and Yaser Kasim when they travel to Port Vale.

Former Blackburn left-back McEveley is suspended after he was sent off in the first half of their Johnstone’s Paint Trophy clash with Peterborough on Wednesday.

Midfielder Yaser Kasim picked up his 10th yellow card of the season in the 2-2 draw, meaning he will now serve a two-match suspension.

But Alex Pritchard and Troy Archibald-Henville return from bans while boss Mark Cooper hopes to loan in Norwich winger Jacob Murphy before kick-off.

Port Vale v Swindon preview

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Ben Williamson will be absent from the Port Vale squad.

Williamson suffered a knee injury while playing for the reserves on Monday. Subsequent scans have ruled out any serious damage, although the striker must wear a protective brace for the next two weeks while the swelling subsides.

He joins Ryan Burge (knee), Lewis Haldane (broken leg), Lee Collins (groin) and Andrew Little (knee) on the sidelines.

Collins is back in training after undergoing groin surgery last month, but the defender is lacking match sharpness.

Swindon’s visit to Vale Park will be Micky Adams’ 100th game in charge of the club.

He said: “It will be a nice milestone to reach, but I hope I can make it 200 or even 300 in the future.”

Meanwhile, Swindon will be without midfielder Ahmed Abdulla.

The on-loan West Ham man took a knock to the leg in training during the week and has been ruled out for a matter of days by the club’s medical department.

Goalkeeper Phil Smith recovered sufficiently from a groin injury to take his place on the substitutes’ bench for the 0-0 draw with Bradford last weekend, but is unlikely to displace loanee Wes Foderingham in the starting line-up.

Foderingham has kept four clean sheets in as many matches since arriving from Crystal Palace.

Abdul Said is a long-term casualty with a leg injury, while striker Cristian Montano is unlikely to start at Vale Park after losing his place to Algerian Mehdi Kerrouche last week.