Crewe vs Rochdale preview - Alex almost at full strength

Posted Monday, August 18, 2014 by PA

Crewe boss Steve Davis has no new injury or suspension concerns ahead of Rochdale's visit to Gresty Road.

The Alex remain without just two of their 26 players - defender Harry Davis (knee) and midfielder Ryan Colclough (hernia) - when training at the moment.

Defender Thierry Audel is fit following a shoulder injury, although he did not make the squad at the weekend, while both midfielder Chris Atkinson and striker Marcus Haber are building up their fitness and hope to make their first starts for the Railwaymen.

Haber may have to do with a place on the bench again, though, given Billy Waters has scored in each of his last two games.

Rochdale manager Keith Hill has a growing injury list to contend with after Josh Lillis, Matty Lund and Scott Tanser all had to come off in Saturday's loss at Chesterfield.

Goalkeeper Lillis was stretchered off with an ankle injury and midfielder Lund suffered a dislocated shoulder, so both look set for a spell on the sidelines.

Midfielder Tanser also picked up a knock against the Spireites to join defender Olly Lancashire on the treatment table.

"It's not just injuries," moaned Hill on the club website. "Tom Kennedy, Stephen Dawson and Calvin Andrew had to play a full 90 minutes (at Chesterfield) and I did have the intention of bringing two of those players off because I don't want to put them into a position where they're going to get injured."