Crewe Alexandra vs Bradford AFC preview - Ness in Alex fitness race

Posted Friday, May 01, 2015 by PA

Crewe midfielder Jamie Ness faces a race against time to be fit for Bradford's visit to Gresty Road.

Ness, on loan from Stoke, has been absent for the past three games after sustaining a calf strain against Leyton Orient and will need to prove his fitness to the Alex at the back end of this week to be considered.

The Railwaymen, who would secure their safety with a victory, are confident that midfielder Anthony Grant (head) and Ryan Colclough will be fine, despite the latter struggling with fatigue having only just returned from a long-term hernia problem.

Goalkeeper Ben Garratt (broken leg) was back on the bench last time out, Matt Tootle (ankle) has returned to training, while fellow defender Harry Davis should overcome a calf problem to declare himself fit, leaving only Alan Tate (ankle) and Chris Atkinson (dislocated shoulder) as absentees.

Bradford boss Phil Parkinson is expected to select his starting XI from an unchanged squad.

Parkinson has no new injury problems following last week's home win against Barnsley, while wingers Filipe Morais (knee) and Mark Yeates (shoulder) remain sidelined.

Defender Alan Sheehan is pushing for a recall. He returned to the bench as an unused substitute last week after returning from his loan spell at Peterborough.

Striker Oliver McBurnie has returned from his loan spell at Chester but is struggling with a knock, while defender Gary MacKenzie and Francois Zoko have returned to parent club Blackpool.