Mark Cullen was handed his first City start as Peter Taylor made three changes from the side that tripped up against Barnet.

Cullen partnered Omar Daley up front as both James Hanson and Gareth Evans found themselves on the bench.

Robbie Threlfall returned at left back, pushing Luke O'Brien into left midfield - the partnership which had worked effectively in the last away game at Lincoln.

With Shane Duff out with back trouble, Rob Kiernan came in at centre half hoping to erase memories of that own goal at Valley Parade last week.

There were two interesting additions on the bench. Jake Speight was back after scoring a cracker for the reserves in midweek.

And Lewis Hunt, who had come through 45 minutes against Barnsley's second string, was in the squad for the first time since suffering his knee injury at the end of September.

CITY: Pidgeley, Eckersley, Oliver, Kiernan, Threlfall, Adeyemi, Bullock, Syers, O'Brien, Daley, Cullen. Subs: Evans, Hanson, Osborne, Speight, Hunt, Horne, McLaughlin.