Football: Mercer hopes to be ready

Chesterfield's goalkeeper Billy Mercer will have a fitness test tomorrow morning to find out if he can play in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough at Old Trafford. Mercer, who suffered bruised ribs against Gillingham last weekend, has resumed light training and rates his chances of playing as better than 50-50.

"I haven't done a great deal yet. I've still got to dive about and see how it stands up to that," he said yesterday. If Mercer is ruled out Andy Leaning, who deputised against Watford on Tuesday, will take over.

The defender Darren Carr, who has been troubled by a calf injury, has come into contention after resuming training but Paul Holland did not train yesterday because of a groin strain and is another worry. Andy Morris and Chesterfield's captain, Sean Dyche, did some light training and should be fit.