Notts County vs Bradford AFC preview - Noble begins latest ban

Posted Friday, March 13, 2015 by PA

Liam Noble is suspended once more as Notts County prepare to host Bradford.

Noble was sent off during the 3-0 defeat at Swindon last weekend - the midfielder's third red card in his last 10 appearances for the club - and he must serve a three-match ban.

Alan Smith, Will Hayhurst, Nicky Wroe and particularly Garry Thompson, against his former club, will all be looking to benefit from Noble's absence, with all four players pushing for recalls to the starting line-up.

Mustapha Dumbuya, Greg Tempest and Ronan Murray remain out injured along with Jimmy Spencer, who is back in training after almost eight months out due to a cruciate knee ligament injury.

Bradford defender Andrew Davies could be rested after taking a knock to the arm he fractured in August in the midweek draw at Coventry.

The Bantams face Reading in their FA Cup quarter-final replay at the Madejski Stadium on Monday and Alan Sheehan could start in Davies' place.

Manager Phil Parkinson may be tempted to utilise his squad, with midfielder Billy Knott and winger Mark Yeates, who scored direct from a free-kick on Tuesday night, pushing for recalls.

Summer signing Gary Liddle is expected to resume in midfield against his former club, but three games in a week could be too much for Filipe Morais, who recently returned from a knee injury.