Wycombe midfielder Matt Bloomfield set for significant milestone

Posted Friday, March 08, 2019 by PA

Wycombe skipper Matt Bloomfield could make his 500th appearance for the club when Sunderland come calling on Saturday.

The 35-year-old, who made his debut for the club in December 2003, is in line to reach a significant landmark against the Black Cats on a day when manager Gareth Ainsworth has admitted he could be without “two or three” players due to illness.

Fellow midfielder Luke Bolton returned from a head injury as a late substitute in last weekend’s 4-2 League One defeat at Peterborough, while goalkeeper Yves Ma-Kalambay and striker Scott Kashket were unused substitutes following their recoveries from finger and hamstring problems respectively.

Defender Adam El-Abd will sit out once again as he completes a three-match ban for his sending-off in the 2-1 defeat at Barnsley on February 16.

Sunderland boss Jack Ross is hoping for a series of injury boosts as he looks to continue the fight for promotion back to the Sky Bet Championship.

Skipper George Honeyman, who limped out of Tuesday night’s Checkatrade Trophy semi-final victory at Bristol Rovers with a hip injury, is expected to train on Friday and be available.

Full-back Reece James (groin) and midfielder Lee Cattermole (ankle) both missed the trip to the Memorial Stadium, but have returned to training and are also expected to resume, although defender Alim Ozturk, who also sat out the semi-final with a groin problem, is unlikely to make it.

Full-backs Donald Love and Bryan Oviedo continue their bids for match-fitness, while forward Chris Maguire remains sidelined by a fractured fibula.