SHANE Supple with make his fourth Ipswich Town senior appearance when the Blues visit Hull City in the Coca-Cola Championship tonight (kick-off 7.45pm).

By Elvin King

SHANE Supple with make his fourth Ipswich Town senior appearance when the Blues visit Hull City in the Coca-Cola Championship tonight (kick-off 7.45pm).

Manager Joe Royle is going to select the 18-year-old keeper ahead of Welsh international Lewis Price for the trip to Humberside.

Royle said: “Lewis had a fitness test before the Crystal Palace match on Boxing Day after suffering a reaction to his groin strain problem.

“It was a brave decision by him to play. I left it to him, but he was not right and it was not one of his better performances.

“Shane is set to start tonight. He is a terrific young keeper and we are blessed to have two great goalkeeping prospects. I have no fears about putting Shane into the team.”

It remains to be seen whether Price will be fit enough to be on the bench, or whether keeper coach Andy Rhodes will be named one of the substitutes. Alternatively, Ipswich may not name a sub keeper for their first visit to the KC Stadium.

Defensive kingpin Richard Naylor is now recognised as having five bookings following his yellow card against Palace.

The player, who was sent off against Millwall in August, will not start his one-match suspension until Monday - and will be a big loss for the trip to Stoke on January 2.

“We have checked with the authorities and because of the holiday period Richard will be available tonight and on Saturday at home to Luton,” said Royle.

Jason De Vos has a stiff back and is seeing a specialist, while Gavin Williams has a sore groin. Both are given a good chance of facing promoted Hull.

Kevin Horlock is still missing, and 20-year-old defender Scott Barron has been added to the 18-strong party that was selected for the Palace match.

Sito Castro has been released from a game in his native Spain tomorrow after the 25-year was originally selected for a Galicia squad to face Uruguay during the Spanish Christmas break.

Skipper Jim Magilton may be in line for a recall in midfield with Owen Garvan and Ian Westlake both not long back from injury and games coming thick and fast over Christmas.

Darren Currie normally makes way in away games, while Danny Haynes could be used out wide.

Hull are without defender Roland Edge due to a groin strain, while Ian Ashbee, Ben Burgess, Steve McPhee, Alton Thelwell and Danny Coles are long-term injury victims.

Striker Billy Paynter could be handed a start by manager Peter Taylor, as may former England midfielder Nick Barmby. Another likely starter is winger Ryan France who spent time on trial with the Blues in 2003 prior to joining the east Yorkshire club.

Tonight's referee is Clive Oliver from Northumberland who has shown 52 yellow and two red cards in 21 games this season. Oliver has not previously taken control of a Town game.

Ipswich's most recent game against Hull ended in a 2-0 victory at Portman Road in the 1990/91 season.

Ipswich were originally due to travel to Hull today, but because of adverse weather they left snowy Suffolk at 5pm yesterday.

Squads

Hull City: Myhill, Cort, Delaney, Collins, Dawson, Green, Price, France, Andrews, Ellison, Fagan, Barmby, Elliott, Paynter, Duke, Lynch.

Ipswich: Supple, Price, Wilnis, Naylor, De Vos, Sito, Williams, Magilton, Juan, Richards, Haynes, Forster, Garvan, Westlake, Bowditch, McDonald, Peters, Barron.

Referee: Mr Clive Oliver (Northumberland).