FABIAN Wilnis is set to come in from the cold for Ipswich tonight.The 36-year-old defender returns to the Town squad and has a realistic chance of facing Chester in an FA Cup third round replay.

By Mel Henderson

FABIAN Wilnis is set to come in from the cold for Ipswich tonight.

The 36-year-old defender returns to the Town squad and has a realistic chance of facing Chester in an FA Cup third round replay.

Circumstances have conspired to make Wilnis favourite to regain the right-back berth, despite being completely overlooked by boss Jim Magilton for the last 12 games.

The Dutchman's last first team start came in November against Sheffield Wednesday and last week Magilton said he was free to move on loan if that was what he wanted.

But the absence of new signing David Wright, who is not eligible for tonight's game because he was not registered in time for the first game, together with a training ground injury to skipper Jason De Vos, has Wilnis poised for a dramatic recall.

Magilton said that Alex Bruce, relegated to the bench as Wright made his debut in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, will definitely feature in the starting line-up.

With Bruce likely to replace De Vos alongside Richard Naylor at the heart of the defence, Wilnis is the obvious candidate to occupy the right-back role.

Ipswich will also be without midfielders Owen Garvan and Darren Currie for what Magilton has tagged a must-win game against the mid-table League Two side who held Town to a goalless draw in the first game.

Garvan suffered a cut to the top of his right foot at the Stadium of Light, while Currie's absence could be down to the fact that Coventry still want to secure his services and would probably prefer that he wasn't cup-tied.

Meanwhile, Town await a specialist's report on the metatarsal injury suffered by De Vos in training yesterday.

The big defender has already been ruled for a minimum of six weeks after taking a blow to a bone he has broken before and into which surgeons fixed a screw.

Magilton said: “It is a major blow we could have done without. We will miss Jason however long he is absent.”

Ian Miller has been recalled from his loan spell at Boston as cover for De Vos.

SQUADS

IPSWICH: Price, Wilnis, Naylor, Bruce, Harding, Roberts, Williams, Legwinski, Richards, Lee, Haynes, Sito, Barron, Peters, Brittain, Clarke and Supple.

CHESTER: Danby, Artell, Linwood, Bolland, Marples, Martinez, Hand, Bennett, Wilson, Blundell, Steele, Walters, Hessey, Sandwith, Rutherford, Holroyd, Allen and Palethorpe.

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).