Loft return lifts Vale
Captain Doug Loft is expected to go straight back into the Port Vale starting line-up against Aldershot on his return from suspension.
Loft has missed the last three matches and is the obvious choice to replace fellow midfielder Chris Birchall, who is away on international duty with Trinidad & Tobago.
Manager Micky Adams will also be boosted by the return of full-backs Richard Duffy and Dan Jones as he looks to get Vale back on track at Vale Park, where they have lost three times during a four-game winless run, against the Football League's bottom team.
Right-back Duffy comes back into the reckoning after a virus and left-back Jones is fit again following a knee injury.
However, veteran centre-half Darren Purse and the versatile Rob Taylor look set to miss out along with suspended midfielder Sam Morsy, who completes a two-match ban.
Purse has missed the last two matches with a calf strain while Taylor broke a bone in his hand in training this week.
Winger Ashley Vincent remains sidelined with the ankle injury he suffered against Bristol Rovers on March 12 but the problem is not as bad as initially feared and he is expected to return before the end of the season.
Anthony Tonkin hopes to return to the fold for Aldershot but Lionel Ainsworth will play no part after his loan spell came to an end.
Left-back Tonkin has missed the last three matches due to a side injury but is back in training as the Shots aim to haul themselves off the foot of the npower League Two table.
One player who will not be involved, however, is attacking midfielder Ainsworth who, having started Aldershot's last two games, has been recalled by parent club Rotherham.
Defender Troy Brown is back in training after being sidelined for over a month with an ankle injury but the game comes too soon for him.
Striker Danny Hylton is also making good progress with his knee injury but it is not yet known when he will return to contention.
Source: PA
Source: PA