' BEN TURNER AND ANTHONY PILKINGTON '

Centre-back Ben Turner completed his return from injury by playing seventy minutes in the Development squad’s game with Hull.

Turner, whose contract expires in the summer, has not featured for Cardiff this team and last played competitively for Coventry in December.


Cardiff City are hopeful that Anthony Pilkington will be fit to retake his place up front on Saturday.

Pilkington missed the heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Fulham after injuring his knee in an off the ball incident at Turf Moor four days previous.

Scans showed that there is no serious injury, but persistent swelling meant that he had to be replaced by Tom Lawrence in the striking role.

Cardiff City hopeful that Anthony Pilkington will return to boost play-off hopes against QPR

The Irish international missed the Fulham game after swelling on his knee sustained in the 0-0 draw with Burnley, while Ben Turner returned to action for the development squad today

Cardiff City are hopeful that Anthony Pilkington will be fit to retake his place up front on Saturday.

The Bluebirds’ face QPR at the Cardiff City Stadium as they seek to get their play-off push back on track.

Pilkington missed the heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Fulham after injuring his knee in an off the ball incident at Turf Moor four days previous.

Scans showed that there is no serious injury, but persistent swelling meant that he had to be replaced by Tom Lawrence in the striking role.

However, the club are hopeful that he will have had sufficient rest before the crunch clash with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s men and can return to the starting XI.
It is thought that this setback was unrelated to a long-term problem Pilkington has had with his knee, which requires tailor made routines to manage.

Ireland manager Martin O’Neill admitted during the last international break that the former Norwich man’s place in his Euro 2016 squad was at risk due to fitness concerns.

Pilkington missed his country’s 1-0 win over Switzerland due to a hamstring problem, but returned days later to play in the 2-2 draw with Slovakia.

He played the full game against Derby County before his injury at Burnley with twenty minutes left on the clock.

He has played a pivotal part in Cardiff’s improved form over the last couple of months, moved to the number nine role in the 3-1 win away to Wolves.