Ashton Fate?

United travel to Bristol City tomorrow with three changes enforced on the side that performed so dismally at home to Millwall last week, although arguably only one of those changes will weaken the side. That is Chris Hackett's omission, this being the first of the three games for which he is suspended following his dismissal for violent conduct up at Bury. The other changes are due to the absence of midfielder Robert Quinn, injured in the Millwall game and due to be out for at least a month, and Neil Cutler's return to Aston Villa following Firoz Kassam's refusal to sanction an extension to his loan.

Included in the squad are goalkeeper Richard Knight who, unless David Kemp is being really perverse, will start his first game since the Chester debacle in December, with youth team 'keeper Phil Wilson sitting on the bench. Also included in the squad for the first time in a while is Paul Powell, who scored the opening goal for the U's in last season's 2-2 draw in Bristol. It is possible that Powell will start in place of Hackett, on the left wing with Joey Beauchamp switching to the right. Alternatively he could be brought back as a left back, where Wayne Hatswell continues to underperform, with two of Dean Whitehead, Paul Tait and Peter Fear in for Quinn and Hackett. No doubt Kemp has his own plan which will ensure that the team plays lowest common denominator football.

Despite United not having lost against the other Robins for twelve games until this season's defeat at the Manor, Rage Online can't see this one ending as anything other than another defeat, with City desparate for the points to rejoin the promotion race, although they too have been hampered by injuries, including captain Keith Millen, and by failing to sign Manchester City's fatman Andy Morrison. RO predicition (and we've not been right before) is 3-1 to City.

Wells, and Wells, and Wells…

The Les Wells saga will never end! Although the first case, determining whether or not he has a public right of way across the stadium site, did end yesterday lunchtime the judge has said that he won't be revealing his verdict for another week to a fortnight as he considers the evidence. The next case, the judicial review into the multiplex planning consent, commences on April 2nd.