Stevenage vs Carlisle United. Sky Bet League Two.
Lamex StadiumAttendance2,770.
Friday 12 April 2019 10:43, UK
Stevenage boss Dino Maamria is hoping midfielder Ilias Chair will be fit to face Carlisle.
Player of the Month nominee Chair, on loan from QPR, sustained an ankle injury during last weekend's 2-0 win against Grimsby. Maamria believes the "best player in League Two" needs more protection from referees and added: "It's just bruised and hopefully he will be OK."
Danny Newton would most likely replace Chair should he fail to recover. Kurtis Guthrie should continue up front after scoring both goals on his return to the starting line-up against the Mariners.
Carlisle manager Steven Pressley has a host of injury and suspension problems to contend with for the trip. Defender Macaulay Gillesphey is not ready to start following his recovery from knee surgery but has an outside chance of making the bench.
Mike Jones is suspended following his dismissal against Bury, while captain Danny Grainger (hamstring) and Mark Cullen (groin) remain sidelined but should resume training next week. Two other "big players" are rated 50-50 to make the game, but Pressley would not elaborate.
Stevenage are unbeaten in their last four league meetings with Carlisle (W2 D2) since a 1-2 defeat in October 2016.
Carlisle have lost just one of their last six league trips to Stevenage (W3 D2) and are unbeaten in three (W2 D1) since a 1-0 defeat in April 2015.
Stevenage have lost just one of their last five league games (W2 D2), however that was their last home match against Notts County (0-3).
Carlisle have gone five away league matches without a win (D2 L3), last going six without victory between March and August 2015.
Stevenage's Kurtis Guthrie, who scored a brace for the Boro last time out against Grimsby, netted a hat-trick in his only previous home league appearances versus Carlisle whilst at Colchester in January 2017.
