DARREN POWELL will be given a chance to prove his fitness ahead of Saturday's home game with Stoke as Saints open their reserve programme against Wycombe at Staplewood tonight.

The centre-half has missed Saints' opening three fixtures after being sent off in a pre-season friendly at Bournemouth.

However, Powell has now served his suspension and is hoping to come through tonight's game unscathed to be able to shore up Saints' leaky defence.

Reserve team coach Stewart Henderson said: "Darren knows he needs an outing just to see if he's fit enough. If he comes through, I fully expect him to be back in the first team."

Full story in today's Daily Echo