Bradford v Chesterfield preview
Last Updated: November 5, 2012 6:39pm
Egan: Poised to make his debut
Team news ahead of Tuesday's League Two clash between Bradford and Chesterfield at Coral Windows Stadium.
Bradford's new signing John Egan could make his debut against the Spireites.
The Sunderland central defender, 20, has signed a two-month deal as cover for injured pair Luke Oliver (Achilles) and Andrew Davies (knee), who have both been ruled out for the rest of the season.
But Bradford are expected to be without striker James Hanson, who is struggling with a virus, while midfielder Ricky Ravenhill sits out the final game of his three-match ban.
Kyel Reid (groin) remains a long-term casualty, but fellow midfielder Craig Forsyth, on loan from Watford, is available again after being ineligible for the recent Capital One Cup and FA Cup games.
Leading goalscorer Nahki Wells is hoping to return to the starting line-up after starting on the bench in Saturday's FA Cup draw at Northampton.
Captain Sam Hird and on-loan duo Liam Ridehalgh and Chris Atkinson come back into the reckoning for Chesterfield.
Hird served a one-match suspension as the Spireites smashed Hartlepool 6-1 in the FA Cup, while Huddersfield pair Ridehalgh and Atkinson were ineligible for the first-round tie.
After such an impressive showing against higher-league opposition on Saturday, manager Paul Cook must decide whether any of the trio go back into his starting line up.
Liam Cooper made his full debut against Pool after arriving on loan from Hull last week but the 21-year-old limped off late in the game and is a doubt. Should Cooper not be fit it will almost certainly open the door for Hird to return at centre-half.
Ahead of the trip to Valley Parade to face the Capital One Cup quarter-finalists, Cook said: "They're having a fantastic season, they're a very strong outfit. I watched them play at Wigan last week and they played really well on the night, it was a good cup-tie and they eventually got through.
"Going to Bradford at anytime is very difficult but if we go there and play with the same intensity as we did on Saturday, the same creativity going forward in the last third, I think we will cause Bradford problems."
Matches
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npower League 2
Table
npower League 2
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gillingham | 46 | 83 |
| 2 | Rotherham United | 46 | 79 |
| 3 | Port Vale | 46 | 78 |
| 4 | Burton Albion | 46 | 76 |
| 5 | Cheltenham Town | 46 | 75 |
| 6 | Northampton Town | 46 | 73 |
| 7 | Bradford City | 46 | 69 |
| 8 | Chesterfield | 46 | 67 |
| 9 | Oxford United | 46 | 65 |
| 10 | Exeter City | 46 | 64 |
| 11 | Southend United | 46 | 61 |
| 12 | Rochdale | 46 | 61 |
| 13 | Fleetwood Town | 46 | 60 |
| 14 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 60 |
| 15 | Wycombe Wanderers | 46 | 60 |
| 16 | Morecambe | 46 | 58 |
| 17 | York City | 46 | 55 |
| 18 | Accrington Stanley | 46 | 54 |
| 19 | Torquay United | 46 | 53 |
| 20 | AFC Wimbledon | 46 | 53 |
| 21 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 52 |
| 22 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 46 | 51 |
| 23 | Barnet | 46 | 51 |
| 24 | Aldershot Town | 46 | 48 |
