By J Bateman
December 25 2002

A round up of all the Boxing Day previews for Nationwide League Division One.

Bradford v Stoke at Valley Parade ko - 13-00

Bradford are still missing key players for there Boxing Day battle at the bottom with Ashley Ward (calf) , Danny Cadamarteri (knee) , David Wetherall (hamstring) all still out long term , coupled with that Andy Myers is undergoing Hernia surgery and will also miss the game , good news for the Bantams though is the return from suspension of defender Gus Uhlenbeek.

Stoke like Bradford have key members out Andy Cooke,  Kris Commons , Clive Clarke are all suffering with bad knee injuries , Brynjar Gunnarsson is still serving a three match ban and will not take any part , but a player back from suspension and giving at least some cheer to the Potters plight is Wayne Thomas who finished serving a ban last weekend.

One To Watch  Peter Hoekstra - Stoke City

Prediction  Bradford 0 Stoke 0

Burnley v Wolves at Turf Moor ko - 15-00

Burnley will hoping to stop the rot that has seen them ship in ten goals in the last two games , but with major injury doubts to Steve Davis (knee), Lee Briscoe (groin) and Paul Cook (shoulder) all three seem certain to miss the clash , Alan Moore could return but only for a bench spot.

Wolves seem to be finding it hard to hit the net of late and with news that on loan star Carlton Cole could be missing with a calf strain ,  means they go into the game with only two fit strikers Kenny Miller and Dean Sturrigde , good news else where though they have no concerns in other positions.

One To Watch  Paul Ince - Wolves

Prediction  Burnley 1 Wolves 3

Coventry v Reading at Highfield Road ko - 12-00

Coventry boast no injury worries and will hope another three pionts are given to them by Santa tommorow , they will then stand on the brink of the top six if results go there way in other games , Gray Mcallister will welcome back Youssef Chippo from suspension and hopes to have Dean Gordon and John Eustace back fully fit.

Reading striker Nicky Forster is almost certainly out of tommorows game with a hamstring injury but Alan Pardew could welcome back Jamie Cureton, Nathan Tyson and Darius Henderson for Forsters place .

One To Watch  Gary Mcallister - Coventry

Prediction  Coventry 1 Reading 0

Derby  v Grimsby at Pride Park ko - 13-00

Derby are hoping to get back on the winning trail after there miserable Midlands defeat at Coventry just gone , the Rams are sweating on the fitness of Danny Higginbottom (ankle) , Paul Boertien should be fit after being taken off last weekend.

Grimsby are hoping for some away day cheer tommorow , they have only won twice on the road this season and that was against two of the bottom three Stoke (Nov 9) and at Brighton (Sep 28) , so the odds are stacked against the Mariners , Tony Gallimore (hamstring), and Steve Chettle (back) look likely to miss the game but Tony Gallimore could return.

One To Watch  Danny Higginbottom - Derby

Prediction  Derby 2 Grimsby 0

Leicester v Ipswich at The Walkers Stadium ko - 18-05 (Sky)

Certainly match of the day tommorow and Leicester will be looking to revenge on an Ipswich side that trounced them 6-1early on in the season , Frank Sinclair is out suspended and Gerry Taggart looks likely to be missing as well , Callum Davidson might return after succesfully getting over hernia trouble.

The Tractor Boys are at sixes and sevens in the injury department with four key players sweating over there chances of making the starting line up against the Foxes , Chris Makin (hip), Tommy Miller (calf) and Jim Magilton (groin) along with Fabian Wilnis who could be only one of the four that makes it.

One To Watch  Jamie Scowcroft - Leicester

Prediction  Leicester 0 Ipswich 2

Millwall v Gillingham at The New Den ko - 12-00

After there some what fortunate home draw against Wolves on Saturday , the Lions welcome back a handful of players missing from the weekend , Neil Harris and midfielder David Livermore are back after suspensions , but Ben May and Chris Kinet are very doubtful of playing.

Still doubts on the fitness of Andy Hessentaler the Gills player boss he still remains doubtful with an knee injury , other major doubts are Leon Johnson , Roland Edge and Mamady Sidibe , while the unlucky Tommy Johnston sits it out again with a nasty foot injury.

One To Watch  Marlon King - Gillingham

Prediction  Millwall 0 Gillingham 1

Norwich v Brighton at Carrow Road ko - 15-00

Norwich are hoping there amazing home form , they have only lost once at home this season losing 3-2 to Sheff Utd on Sep 7th , the Canaries will be without the important Steen Nedergaard (calf) but fears that keeper Robert Green is out have been eased and he will play tommorow.

Brighton go into the Canaries den hoping for a massive upset , the Seagulls have to there credit great draws at places like Ipswich and Wolves this season , but it will be an uphill task to grasp anything from this fixture , good news for Brighton is Bobby Zamora will carry on upfront adding to the news of an unchanged line up for the Seagulls.

One To Watch  Paul Mcviegh - Norwich

Prediction   Norwich 3 Brighton 0

Portsmouth v C Palace at Fratton Park ko - 15-00

Leaders Pompey have no new injury worrys ahead of there home clash against the Eagles , Pompey have drawn the last three games and have Leicester breathing down there necks three pionts behind , with a massive goal difference of +10 on the Foxes , Pompey will remain top even if they lose and Leicester win tommorow.

Palace striker Andy Johnson will miss the game along with long term injuys Dougie Freedman and Ade Akinbiyi , Danny Granville will return after his suspension  , Palace will be hoping they can stun the leaders and win for a fifth time in a row in the league.

One To Watch  Tommy Black - C Palace

Prediction   Portsmouth 1 C Palace 0

Preston v Rotherham at Deepdale ko - 15-00

Preston are missing three influencal players in Eric Skora , Rob Edwards and Pawel Abbott but Craig Brown will be hoping magic man Paul Mckenna will overcome a groin injury , Ricardo Fuller is still a long term injury worry so David Healy and Richard Creswell will try and fire the goals for PNE.

The Millers are hoping to put there Sky defeat behind them last week but news in that Rob Scott will definetly be out with a dislocated shoulder , but massive news for Rotherham is that Chris Sedgwick and Darren Garner are back from suspension.

One To Watch  Andy Monkhouse - Rotherham

Prediction  Preston 1 Rotherham 1

Sheff Wed v Nottm For  at Hillsborough ko - 15-00

Both Ryan Green and Lloyd Owusu are out for at least a fortnight , but other than that Wednesday are unchanged , the Hillsborough faithful seem certain of there fate this season with only two league wins all season the magic 50 barrier looks like a thousand miles away.

Forest are looking to there away form to come right for once tommorow , they haven't won away since Oct 5th beating Millwall at the New Den 2-1 , injury worries to Des Walker means if he doesn't pass a late fitness test he will miss a trip to his former club , David Prutton makes a return after suspension.

One To Watch  David Johnson - Nottm For

Prediction  Sheff Wed 1 Nottm For 1

Walsall v Sheff Utd at Bescot Stadium ko - 15-00

One major change to the Saddlers line up tommorow will be Gavin Ward in for the Saddlers hero keeper Jimmy Walker , other news David Zdrilic and Ludo Pollet could return after both recovered from injury.

Neil Warnock will have the luxury of naming an unchanged side for his trip to the West Midland , Stuart Mcall also returns after a suspension.

One To Watch  Paul Psechisilido - Sheff Utd

Prediction  Walsall 1 Sheff Utd 1

Wimbledon v Watford at Selhurst Park ko - 12-00

The Dons have two injury concerns both Lionel Morgan (virus) and Darren Hollaway (knee) will not figure the latter being out for at least another two months anyway .

Watford still have a handful of first teamers missing , the likes of  Heidar Helguson (hip) Stephen Glass (calf) are still out injured but great news for Hornet fans is the return to action of Gifton Noel Williams after a long term knee compliant , other news Sean Dyche could be recalled after spending a month on the sidelines.

One To Watch  Jobi Mcanuff  -Wimbledon

Prediction  Wimbledon 2 Watford 0

 

Full Match Previews can be found at --

Brighton IBHA

Burnley The Longsider

Grimsby The Mariner

Ipswich Singing The Blues

Sheff Utd bladesfc.co.uk

Walsall The Saddlers FC

Wolves wolvesfc.co.uk