STOKE CITY'S loan stars will be hoping for better fortunes this evening as the 2009/10 Football League campaign continues.

Defensive duo Carl Dickinson and Ryan Shotton, who joined Coca-Cola Championship side Barnsley on Friday, will be looking to make amends on their home debuts after slipping to a 5-2 defeat against QPR in London on Saturday.

The pair impressed individually despite the scoreline, but they will be hoping to help steer the Tykes away from the danger zone against Championship pace-setters West Bromwich Albion at Oakwell tonight.

Elsewhere in the Championship, Andrew Davies could make his second successive home start for the Blades, after missing out on a starting eleven spot against Swansea City at the weekend.

The promotion hopefuls slipped to a 2-1 defeat in South Wales, and Davies' impressive performance for the Blades against Sheffield Wednesday eleven days ago could be enough to warrant a recall to Kevin Blackwell's backline against Ipswich Town.

Meanwhile, in League Two, Ben Marshall will be hoping to have shrugged off a minor injury in time for their vital clash against Rotherham United at Sixfields.

Town, are currently one place above the relegation zone following their 3-0 reverse at Shrewsbury Town at the weekend. Co-incidentally, Shrewsbury included former Potters star Lewis Neal in their squad after he arrived from Preston North End in the summer.

One player not in action this evening is highly rated goalkeeper Danzelle St. Louis-Hamilton, who is instead enjoying a well earned night off.

The former Watford trainee inspired Vauxhall Motors to a comfortable 5-0 thrashing of Whitby Town in an FA Cup Qualifier on Saturday, having pulled off a couple of superb saves during the encounter.

Tonight's Matches involving City players:

Coca-Cola Championship:

Barnsley v West Bromwich Albion (Carl Dickinson & Ryan Shotton)
Sheffield United v Ipswich Town (Andrew Davies)

Coca-Cola League 2:

Northampton Town v Rotherham United (Ben Marshall)