KEITH SOUTHERN faces a fitness test on an ankle problem ahead of Town's FA Cup third-round tie at Charlton tomorrow.

The experienced midfielder has skippered the side in the absence of dropped centre-back Peter Clarke.

Manager Simon Grayson is also keeping tabs on goalkeeper Alex Smithies (dead leg), centre-back Joel Lynch (hamstring), full-back Calum Woods (groin) and winger Danny Ward (knee).

Strikers Jermaine Beckford and Alan Lee are both hoping for inclusion as Grayson seeks a strong response to the 6-1 Championship drubbing at Leicester on New Year’s Day.

Beckford, on loan from Leicester, was ineligible against his parent club, while Lee was kept out by a back problem picked up in training.

Both Beckford and Norwich loanee James Vaughan have permission to feature in the FA Cup for Town, but Wolves winger Adam Hammill does not.

Versatile Tom Clarke (hernia) and midfielder Oscar Gobern (ankle) are longer-term absentees.

Chris Powell’s Charlton, a point and two places better off than Town, who are 17th in the Championship, have centre-back Michael Morrison back from suspension.

Left-back Laurie Wilson is out with a broken nose, so former Arsenal man Cedric Evina is set to come in.

Midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong, who made the first of his six loan outings for Charlton against Town in the 1-1 league draw at The Valley in November, has returned to Arsenal, while striker Rob Hulse. who scored in that game, is back at QPR.

Five-goal joint top scorer Danny Haynes is struggling with a hamstring injury.

Yann Kermorgant, who has also netted five, and Ricardo Fuller are likely to lead the line.

Powell could also give former Tottenham keeper David Button a run-out in place of Ben Hamer, who has been a regular between the posts.