Saturday 10 August 2019 07:33, UK
Who is in, who is out, and who's a doubt in Sky Bet League Two this weekend?
Team news: Liam Gibson could be included in the Grimsby squad. The left-back, on loan from Newcastle, missed the opening day win at Morecambe with a groin strain.
Harry Cardwell was also absent last week and the striker looks set to remain on the sidelines. Charles Vernam was nursing an ankle issue at Morecmabe but he was fit enough for the bench and the striker could feature if Town boss Michael Jolley opts to make any changes.
Bradford have been dealt a big injury blow with the news that Joe Riley will likely miss the whole season with a knee problem. The 22-year-old defender suffered the injury in training last week and scans have shown damage to his cruciate ligament. He is set to undergo an operation.
The Bantams were also without Paudie O'Connor and Shay McCartan on the opening day of the campaign, with both players yet to fully regain fitness. Winger Luca Colville, who is on a week-to-week deal, has not been able to train due to illness.
Key stat: Grimsby are winless in their last 12 matches against Bradford in all competitions (D3 L9), since a 2-0 victory in the second tier in October 1998.
Team news: Cambridge will be without the suspended Liam O'Neill. O'Neil was sent off during the goalless draw at Bradford on the opening day of the season and he will now serve a three-match ban.
Fellow central midfielder Gary Deegan will also miss out through illness so U's boss Colin Calderwood has hinted at a change of formation. Louis John (shoulder) and Harvey Knibbs (knee) are expected to be available for the Carabao Cup tie at Brentford next week.
Newport will check on the fitness of Dan Leadbitter. The defender missed the start of the season with a knock but he could be involved at the Abbey Stadium.
Striker Ade Azeez remains a definite absentee after suffering an Achilles injury. Exiles manager Michael Flynn must decide whether or not to make changes after the 2-2 home draw with Mansfield.
Key stat: Cambridge have lost each of their last six matches against Newport County in all competitions since beating them 3-2 in the league in February 2017.
Team news: Cheltenham will be without suspended duo Rohan Ince and Luke Varney. Midfielder Ince, who was dismissed on debut at Leyton Orient last weekend after throwing a water bottle which struck the fourth official, begins a three-match ban and could face further punishment from the Football Association.
Striker Varney will be absent for one match having been sent off for two bookable offences at Brisbane Road. Centre-back Jacob Greaves could be involved for the Robins after joining on loan from Hull on Thursday.
Injured Scunthorpe duo Jordan Hallam and Kevin Van Veen will miss the trip to Whaddon Road. Midfielder Hallam suffered a hamstring problem last weekend, while forward Van Veen is set to be absent for three to four weeks due to a knee issue.
Iron forward John McAtee faces a late fitness test after sustaining a hamstring injury in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Sheffield Wednesday. Andy Dales (hamstring), Clayton Lewis (thigh), Levi Sutton (knee ligaments) and Lewis Butroid (ankle) remain sidelined, while James Perch sits out the second game of a three-match suspension.
Key stat: Cheltenham Town are winless in their last eight league games against Scunthorpe (D1 L7), a run stretching back to August 2004.
Team news: TBC
Key stat: Crawley are unbeaten in their last eight league matches when facing a side for the first time in the Football League (W5 D3), since a 0-4 defeat against Mansfield in September 2015.
Team news: Macclesfield manager Sol Campbell could name an unchanged side for the visit of Leyton Orient. New signing Theo Archibald went straight into the team for the opening-day defeat at Exeter and will be hoping to retain his place in the starting XI.
Fellow midfielder Jay Harris will hope to do likewise after the Silkmen went down to a deflected 88th-minute goal at last time out. Midfielder Connor Kirby could feature in the squad after arriving at Moss Rose on a season-long loan deal from Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.
Orient interim head coach Ross Embleton will again be without a number of long-term absentees for the trip. James Dayton continues to recover from his fractured ankle while Jobi McAnuff underwent successful surgery on his groin last week.
New signing Louis Dennis will be hoping to make his first start for the O's after coming on as an 89th-minute substitute in the win over Cheltenham. Defender Joe Widdowson will travel with the squad after missing out on the season opener.
Key stat: This will be the first Football League meeting between Macclesfield Town and Leyton Orient since November 2005, when the two sides played out a goalless draw at Moss Rose.
Team news: Hayden White is a major doubt for Mansfield. The defender missed the Stags' opening draw with Newport last weekend because of a hamstring strain and Tuesday's EFL Cup game, also against Morecambe, may be a more realistic prospect for his return.
CJ Hamilton will definitely be available, though. He limped out of the Newport clash but the damage is nothing worse than heavy bruising. Will Tomlinson remains sidelined by his knee problem but is expected to return to training on Friday as he builds up to a comeback.
Morecambe boss Jim Bentley must decide whether to make changes following the disappointment of their opening loss to Grimsby. Bentley gave full debuts to four of his new signings - Adam Buxton, John O'Sullivan, Lewis Alessandra and Shaun Miller, with Cole Stockton coming on as a substitute.
Stockton, signed from Tranmere, will be among those hoping to force his way into the starting line-up, with Morecambe ineffective as an attacking force last weekend. Striker A-Jay Leitch-Smith, who has been sidelined by a serious hamstring injury since January, is close to a comeback.
Key stat: None of the previous 14 Football League meetings between Mansfield and Morecambe have ended level, with Morecambe winning five and Mansfield winning nine, including each of the last five.
Team news: Ashley Smith-Brown could make his league debut for Oldham. The defender joined the Latics last Friday on a season-long loan from Plymouth but was not eligible for their league opener against Forest Green.
He did make his full debut in the Leasing.com Trophy win over Liverpool U21s on Wednesday, while David Wheater, Gary Woods, Zak Mills, Scott Wilson and Sonhy Sefil were the new signings who started the loss to Forest Green. Summer recruit Desire Segbe Azankpo suffered an ankle injury during the win over Liverpool and could be set for a spell on the sidelines.
Defenders Olly Lancashire and Nicky Hunt could be in contention for Crewe. The pair both picked up injuries during pre-season, with Lancashire suffering a groin problem and Hunt sidelined by a knee issue.
But both have stepped up their training in a bid to be available for Saturday's clash. If neither makes it then boss David Artell may again deploy midfielder Ryan Wintle at the back after praising his performance in their opening defeat by Plymouth.
Key stat: Oldham are unbeaten in their last four games against Crewe in all competitions (W3 D1), since a 0-1 defeat in the third tier back in November 2015.
Team news: Defender Josh Grant is set to make his Plymouth debut in their League Two clash with Colchester after completing a half-season loan move from Chelsea. Argyle boss Ryan Lowe has no new injury concerns as he prepares for his first home game in charge after last week's convincing opening win at Crewe.
Striker Calum Dyson is still ruled by an ankle injury he picked up last season while Will Aimson is battling a pelvic problem. Argyle expect a Home Park crowd in excess of 10,000 as they look to maintain their impressive start to the season.
Colchester defender Ryan Jackson is available again after he missed the Us' opening draw against Port Vale last week with a stomach injury. Jackson's return gives a selection dilemma to boss John McGreal, who has been impressed by the performances of full-backs Kane Vincent-Young and Cohen Bramall.
Meanwhile former Plymouth striker Paris Cowan-Hall will not be fit to face his former club. Cowan-Hall is still struggling with an Achilles injury which ruled him out of the game against Vale, and which he has been advised to rest.
Key stat: Plymouth have lost just one of their last 14 matches against Colchester in all competitions (W8 D5) and are unbeaten against the U's since a 1-2 defeat back in August 2003 (P10 W7 D3 L0 since).
Team news: New signing Rhys Browne will have to wait to make his Port Vale debut due to injury. Browne, who moved from Yeovil at the end of July, remains sidelined with a hamstring problem.
Port Vale manager John Askey received better news on the injury front with Ryan Lloyd returning to training after an ankle problem. And Cristian Montano will be hoping to get more game time following a hamstring problem after coming on as a late substitute in the draw at Colchester.
Northampton manager Keith Curle will check on the fitness of midfielder Alan McCormack before naming his squad. McCormack suffered a hamstring injury during the defeat at home to Walsall and was due to undergo a scan to assess the extent of the problem.
Forward Vadaine Oliver and defender Camron McWilliams have both returned to training and could be involved on Saturday. Midfielder Jack Newell has joined Southern League Premier Central side Redditch United on a month's loan to gain first-team experience.
Key stat: Port Vale won both home and away against Northampton last season and will be looking to win three consecutive league games against the Cobblers for the first time since February 2007.
Team news: Stevenage boss Dino Maamria will check on the fitness of several players ahead of the visit of Exeter. Midfielder Dean Parrett was forced off just before half-time in last week's defeat at Salford and defender Jamie Fielding was unable to continue after the interval.
Jason Cowley has been suffering from a bone bruise but was on the bench last weekend and could feature. New signing Joel Rollinson will be pushing to be involved after joining the club following a successful trial period.
Exeter midfielder Lee Martin will be hoping for a place in the starting XI after impressing as a substitute in the opening-day win over Macclesfield. Martin was praised by manager Matt Taylor for injecting some pace into the side after coming on in the 53rd minute for Nicky Ajose.
Teenage midfielder Will Dean will not be available for selection after joining Truro City on loan. Dean, 18, has joined the club for six months. He has played four EFL Trophy games for Exeter.
Key stat: Stevenage have won just one of their last nine league games against Exeter City (D4 L4), a 3-1 victory at the Lamex in April 2018.
Team news: Diallang Jaiyesimi could make his first start for Swindon. Jaiyesimi moved to the Robins from Norwich on a season-long loan deal late last week and was given a cameo in their curtain-raiser against Scunthorpe.
However, goals for forward pair Keshi Anderson and Jerry Yates means Jaiyesimi may once again have to settle for a spot on the bench. Swindon go into the fixture with no new injury or suspension problems.
Carlisle boss Steven Pressley may be tempted to make changes despite watching his side open their campaign with victory over Crawley. Canice Carroll and Ryan Loft both impressed Pressley after coming off the bench and are pushing for starting places.
However, striker Hallam Hope is unlikely to feature as he continues to battle a lower back injury. Pressley indicated that Hope is making good progress but the game at Swindon is likely to come too soon.
Key stat: Swindon have lost just two of their 21 home games against Carlisle in the Football League (W8 D11), however those two defeats have come in their last five such games.
Team news: New Walsall striker Caolan Lavery will hope to begin his quest for a fourth successive promotion. The 26-year-old became the club's 15th summer signing when he arrived from Sheffield United this week having gone up with the Blades and loan clubs Rotherham and Bury in the last three seasons.
Manager Darrell Clarke handed debuts to six men - James Clarke, Mat Sadler, Cameron Pring, Stuart Sinclair, Danny Guthrie and Elijah Adebayo - in his starting line-up in last weekend's 1-0 win at Northampton. Three more - Zak Jules, Gary Liddle and Rory Holden - joined them from the bench as the Saddlers opened their campaign in positive fashion, and Lavery will hope to be a 10th debutant of the season.
Forest Green boss Mark Cooper will be without striker George Williams, who is facing five months on the sidelines after he suffered a leg fracture just three minutes into the new season. Williams broke the fibula in his left leg in a challenge with Oldham's Zak Mills and has since undergone surgery to pin the bone and repair ligament damage.
Teenage striker Taylor Allen will hope for further action after scoring the winner from the bench on his Football League debut last weekend - he and summer arrival Matty Stevens will push Shawn McCoulsky for a start. There is competition too for the goalkeeping spot, with Joe Wollacott having arrived on loan from Bristol City in midweek to challenge Lewis Thomas and Adam Smith.
Key stat: This will be the first competitive meeting between Walsall and Forest Green Rovers.
