Freeman missing for County

On-loan defender Kieron Freeman will be ineligible for Notts County when they travel to Stevenage in the FA Cup fourth round.

Freeman is cup-tied having played in the previous round when his parent club Nottingham Forest went out to Leicester.

Julian Kelly could be about to make a timely return from a calf injury after three weeks out and replace Freeman at full-back. The 22-year-old Irishman will undergo a fitness test.

Should Kelly not be fit, Krystian Pearce could be recalled to fill in. Alternatively, manager Martin Allen could play Pearce in the centre of defence with one of the other centre-halves - Liam Chilvers or Damion Stewart - switching to full-back.

Midfielder Hamza Bencherif and forwards Lee Hughes and Ben Burgess will be pushing for recalls.