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Boss to check on Duke
Derby County, 15:14, January 14, 2009 ,
Rams boss Nigel Clough will get his first look at striker Nathan Ellington today as he gets a run out for the reserves.
The leading scorer in the Carling Cup this season has been missing for the past two matches after damaging his hamstring in the defeat to Ipswich but he has now recovered and will play against Mansfield on Wednesday afternoon.
"Nathan Ellington is going to have a run-out in the Reserves because he has not played for a few weeks," Clough told the Derby Telegraph.
"Really, we want to look at players coming back from injury and players who need a game.
"That's been a problem over the last few months, talking to the staff here, that with such a big squad, there have been quite a few players not getting regular football and regular matches.
"Training is OK up to a point but they have to play.
"Take Mile Sterjovski. That was his first or second game in two months or something like that against Manchester United and you could see that, physically, he couldn't last. That's not his fault.
"It is important, even at this level, that players do get out on the pitch and play matches."