Bradford boosted by return of three players for Macclesfield match

Posted Friday, November 01, 2019 by PA

Bradford boss Gary Bowyer hopes last week’s postponement at Macclesfield has done his injury-hit Bantams a favour ahead of the home game with Exeter.

Bowyer has used 26 different players in their first 15 Sky Bet League Two games, with goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell the only ever-present amid a mounting casualty list.

Dylan Connolly (calf) and Harry Pritchard (back) are expected to return for the Sky Bet League Two contest and bolster Bradford’s stretched resources.

Hope Akpan may have missed the Macclesfield game following the birth of his daughter, but the Nigeria international midfielder is free to feature on Saturday.

Exeter veteran Lee Holmes has suffered a setback on the comeback trail.

The 32-year-old winger has not played this season because of a thigh injury and was due to rejoin the squad, but he has now suffered a broken toe that will keep him out for up to 10 days.

Striker Nicky Ajose has boosted the Grecians, though, as he is close to a return to on-pitch training after sustaining a knee injury in early September.

Exeter could be unchanged from their 4-0 Devon derby thrashing of Plymouth, meaning veteran full-back Craig Woodman could be preferred to teenager Jack Sparkes once more.