Macclesfield Town vs Southend United - Team News

Mark Rawle - returns to the side after injury

Southend United welcome back Tes Bramble and Mark Rawle to the squad for the trip to Macclesfield Town. Player/Manager Rob Newman will again stick to his policy of naming the side just before the kick-off, although The Little Gazette have been told that Newman is expected to take part in the game at some stage and then announce that he is hanging up his boots for the final time, he has named a squad of seventeen players.

Blues squad: Daniel Gay, Darryl Flahavan, Stephen Broad, Dave McSweeney, Damon Searle, Rio Alderton, Leon Cort, Phil Whelan, Kevin Maher, Ian Selley, Stuart Thurgood, Rob Newman, Tes Bramble, Mark Rawle, Daniel Lunan, Anthony Clark and Barrington Belgrave.

Blues are without the injured Ben Smith, Tony Richards and Mark Beard while Steven Clark sits out the last of his three match suspension. Rob Newman is expected to play Mark Rawle on the left wing with Stuart Thurgood on the right with Ian Selley, playing his last game before returning to Wimbledon, joining Kevin Maher in the middle of the park.

Upfront Barrington Belgrave will partner leading goalscorer Tes Bramble. Blues defence will be Darryl Flahavan in goal, with Stephen Broad, Damon Searle, Phil Whelan and Leon Cort the back four.

Blues probable side: Flahavan, Broad, Searle, Whelan, Cort, Thurgood, Maher, Selley, Rawle, Bramble and Belgrave. Subs: Gay, McSweeney, Newman, Anthony Clark and Rio Alderton.

Macclesfield Town will be without key midfielders Kevin Keen, Chris Priest and Chris Byrne for tomorrow's visit of Southend according to Teamtalk.com.

Macclesfield will be keen to finish on a winning note and a victory will see Dave Moss's men leapfrog over The Shrimpers and into a top-half finish. But Keen is struggling with a calf problem, Priest has an ankle knock and Byrne, who is recovering from a hernia operation, will be playing no part in the match. Instead Moss is likely to keep faith with the side which drew 0-0 at Luton last week. One man who could make his debut is Paul Aldridge who sat patiently on the bench for the past month since joining from Tranmere on non-contract forms. The midfielder, son of former striker John, is expected to come on as substitute at some stage with Moss keen to see how he adapts in the first team after impressing for the reserves. Macc are currently in 13th place level on points with Southend but with an inferior goal difference. A 12th place finish for Macc would be their best showing following relegation from Division Two three years ago. Macclesfield (probable): Wilson, Hitchen, Adams, Tinson, Ridler, Munroe, Welch, Whitaker, Lambert, Tipton, Glover. Picture: Keen forced to sit out Shrimpers game tomorrow

Steve Connolly
www.thelittlegazette.com