By Aston
December 29 2006

STB brings you team news, manager previews, officials and betting odds ahead of Towns game against West Brom tomorrow (KO 3:00pm).

Former Town defender Tony Mowbray faces Town for the first time as a manager at the Hawthorns tomorrow. He will be with out the services of Paul Robinson who is suspended and he may have to cope with out Zoltan Gera who has a calf injury.

 

Mowbray: “I'm well aware of the proud tradition they have at Ipswich.

 

“They certainly play an open, expansive game which gives you the chance to play. Not many teams play that way in this division.

 

“A lot play it very tight, try to condense space and base their game on winning the ball back rather than being creative when they have it. Ipswich come into the other category.”

 

Town have a fully fit squad to choose from although Dan Harding may be rested after suffering a concussion against Coventry on Boxing Day.

 

Squad: Bruce, Casement, Clarke, De Vos, Garvan, Harding, Haynes, Lee, Legwinski, Macken, Naylor, Peters, Price, Richards, Roberts, Supple, Walton, Williams.

 

Town manager Jim Magilton:  “The players were hurt by that defeat (West Brom beating Town 5-1 in October) and although they won't need much motivating, the desire to show some professional pride will be there.

 

“Having conceded five at home against West Brom, they won't want to get the same treatment at the Hawthorns.

 

“I think there were special circumstances about the home match. It was Nigel Pearson's last game in charge as a caretaker boss and Tony was in the crowd, so their players had an added incentive.

 

“As a performance, it was the best we have faced this season. They took all the chances that came their way but I did feel that some of their goals were preventable.

 

“We know it will be a difficult game at West Brom and they have got the players to hurt us. Tony is turning things around for them after a tricky start, as we knew he would do, and we know it will be a tough challenge but it's one that we are looking forward to taking on.

 

“We have no injury worries at the moment, Gavin (Williams) has a sore groin but will be okay for West Brom. The Birmingham game maybe a different matter though. We have to be careful with him.

 

“Dan has recovered from a head injury and is fine and it's possible that we will be unchanged for the match.

 

“The players deserved the chance to right the wrongs that took place against Stoke in the Coventry match and they took that chance. They showed great character to get a result after going into the match under a bit of pressure.

 

“Our away form has been okay and we probably haven't got the results our performances deserved.”

 

 

Officials:

Referee: C Penton

Assistants: A R Parker and I Smedley

Fourth Official: P N Gibbs

 

Betting Odds (found using Sportsnetwork Odds Checker):

WBA: 7/10

Draw: 5/2

Town: 5/1

 

Sources: EADT and Ipswich Town – the official website

 

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