Sheff Utd V Yeovil at Bramall Lane - Match Preview




Blades wait on Forte

Sheffield United are sweating over the fitness of on-loan striker Jonathan Forte for their League One play-off semi-final first leg with Yeovil.

The Southampton forward, who began his career at Bramall Lane, is struggling with a hamstring injury and only returned to training on Thursday.

Manager Chris Morgan will assess him with a view to putting him on the bench.

Defender Danny Higginbotham will return to the squad after he overcame a hamstring complaint of his own, though Tony McMahon's Achilles injury will keep him out.

Morgan has hinted that places are up for grabs as the Blades go into a seventh play-off campaign still waiting for success, with last season's penalty shootout defeat to Huddersfield in the final still fresh in the memory.

"This week's training has been good and everyone is filled with anticipation," Morgan said.

"The one thing that pleases me is that there are going to be some tough decisions. For me if the players are pushing each other then that's what we want."

Yeovil manager Gary Johnson will give his injured defenders as long as possible to prove their fitness.

The former Bristol City manager was forced to field a make-shift back four in the 3-2 defeat to Bury last weekend with Jamie McAllister (ankle), Byron Webster (hamstring) and Dan Burn (ankle) all missing out at Gigg Lane.

And Johnson says he will give his walking wounded until Friday to declare their fitness for one of the biggest matches in the club's history.

Matt Dolan and Nathan Ralph are also doubtful with knee injuries but Reuben Reid could be included on the bench having returned from his loan spell at Plymouth.

The Glovers ran out 2-0 winners at Bramall Lane in the League One meeting between the sides back in January and midfielder Ed Upson says the Glovers can take heart from that result.

"We played well there this season so that is a big positive for us and it would be great if we could recreate that," he told Press Association Sport.

"Obviously it will be a different game but if we can get anywhere near that level we'll be doing alright."

Johnson's squad left Huish Park for St George's Park, the new FA Football Centre at Burton, on Thursday morning.

The Glovers will be based there for three days with hydro-pool therapy planned on Saturday morning in preparation for Monday's second leg.

Source: PA

Source: PA