MARK Venus has been pencilled in for the Ipswich Town reserve-team trip to Coventry City tonight, writes Derek Davis.The veteran defender has been named in a provisional squad of 18 but reserve-team boss Steve McCall won't make a final decision until later this morning who will make the final 16.

MARK Venus has been pencilled in for the Ipswich Town reserve-team trip to Coventry City tonight, writes Derek Davis.

The veteran defender has been named in a provisional squad of 18 but reserve-team boss Steve McCall won't make a final decision until later this morning who will make the final 16. McCall said: "We are undecided about Mark. He is improving but not ready for a full game yet so we have to weigh up the risk factor."

Town are keen to have a good look at triallist Steve Tower, an 18-year-old centre-half from Midland Alliance League side Oadby Town.

He will play alongside 16-year-old Aidan Colins who was on the first-team bench for their game at home to Wimbledon on Saturday. Erkan Okay returns from injury, as does young Welsh keeper Lewis Price, and Chris Hogg is back after being on England Under-18 international duty.

Blues boss Joe Royle will be at Highfield Road to run the rule over the youngsters which should act as a spur to them with first-team opportunities beckoning.

Coventry City will also be fielding a predominantly young side after boss Gary McAllister culled his squad by 15 players.

Ipswich Town Reserves provisional squad: Price, Peat, Mitchell, Hogg, Towers, Collins, Venus, Chaffey, Bloomfield, Okay, Murray, Abidallah, Boardley, Reid, Barron and Flack.