Blackpool hoping top scorer Jerry Yates will be fit to face Plymouth

Blackpool are sweating on the availability of top scorer Jerry Yates for the visit of Plymouth this weekend.

Yates took his tally in Sky Bet League One to 14 goals this season after bagging a brace in the 3-1 win over Peterborough in midweek, but the striker was nursing a dead leg afterwards.

The Tangerines are optimistic Yates will recover for Saturday and are similarly hopeful over on-loan midfielder Elliot Embleton, who was withdrawn late on against Posh because of cramp.

Defender Daniel Ballard misses out again as he is on international duty with Northern Ireland while Matty Virtue’s knee injury will almost certainly keep him sidelined. Fellow midfielders CJ Hamilton and Kevin Stewart, defensive pair Marvin Ekpiteta and James Husband and strike duo Keshi Anderson and Gary Madine are unlikely to return.

Plymouth anticipate 16-goal leading scorer Luke Jephcott will be available.

It was thought the striker would miss out on the trip to Bloomfield Road because he is with Wales Under-21s, who play their Republic of Ireland counterparts at Wrexham on Friday afternoon.

However, following that fixture, Pilgrims boss Ryan Lowe revealed Jephcott will link up with his club team-mates on Friday evening and is set to be in contention to play at Blackpool, provided there are no injury setbacks.

Jerome Opoku collected his 10th yellow card of the season in last weekend’s 2-0 victory over Bristol Rovers, so the defender will start a two-match suspension. Kell Watts will hope to shake off a hip complaint to replace Opoku in the Plymouth backline while midfielder Lewis Macleod could come back after missing the last couple of matches.