By Simon Smedley, Sports Editor of the Stockport Express

Peter Ward will be urging County's players to go out and give it their best shot at Leed United on Saturday.

The Hatters' young squad will face a cauldron of noise and excitement at Elland Road as Simon Grayson's side bid to keep their promotion bandwagon rolling.

However, County are capable of upsetting the odds if the players can keep their nerves and their minds in check. County's assistant boss Ward told the Express: "I don't think the lads will need much motivation at all going into Saturday's game.

"There will be 20-odd thousand there, maybe 30, and Leeds are on a bit of a roll. Just pulling up to the gates at Elland Road will start the adrenaline pumping, so it should just be about how the lads handle themselves throughout the day.

"Let's hope they don't freeze so they can put on a performance worthy of the talent they've clearly got. Jim and I will do our bit off the pitch to try and keep the players nice and calm, but these are the kind of stadiums all players should aspire to play at. When you're growing up you dream about going to places like Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester United.

"Leeds is a brilliant stadium with a very hostile atmosphere, hopefully it won't get to our lads. We've got nothing to lose, and Saturday will provide a great opportunity for the players to showcase themselves to the people of Leeds.

"The young lads have acquitted themselves really well in the main this season, but they have got to look towards the next level now. We'll be quietly confident come Saturday, so let's hope the lads can turn in a good performance."

Unfortunately County will be without defender Johnny Mullins this weekend as his season is now over after it was confirmed yesterday [Tues] that he has broken a metatarsal bone in his left foot.

Mullins limped out of Saturday's home game against Yeovil after taking a knock that worsened the injury that had kept him out of the previous three games.

Matty McNeil is rated as a huge doubt for Saturday after picking up an ankle injury in training last week, but he could return in time for Easter Monday's home game against Walsall.

An ongoing seven-day emergency loan deal will mean that Conrad Logan keeps his place in goal this weekend.
Owain fon Williams and Lloyd Rigby are still at least a fortnight away from a return to training with the first team.

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