CheltenhamCheltenham Townvs.BirminghamBirmingham City

The League One hosts went down 2-1 to Cardiff City last time out, while the Blues won by the same scoreline against Burton Albion in the Bass Charity Vase.

Match preview

Posting a mixed bag of results from their pre-season friendlies could potentially set Cheltenham Town up well to try to secure a third consecutive season of League One football, and Cardiff left it very late to get the better of Wade Elliot's side on Saturday.

Liam Sercombe's 42nd minute strike ensured that Cheltenham would head into half time with a one-goal advantage, but Mark Harris netted from the spot before Max Watters struck with 88 minutes remaining to steal the triumph for the Bluebirds.

Cheltenham have now won two, lost two and drawn one of their five pre-season friendlies and still have the visit of Northampton Town to look forward to next Saturday before their League One campaign begins against Peterborough United on July 30.

The hosts will not just be battling a higher-division side this week, but soaring temperatures are sure to lead Elliot to take maximum caution with his squad, all of whom will expect to earn as many minutes as their legs will let them on Tuesday.

Having arrived back from a productive warm-weather training camp in Portugal, Birmingham were also indebted to an 88th-minute goal to edge a close contest with Burton Albion on Saturday afternoon.

George Hall and Tom Hamer had made the net ripple before Sam Cosgrove came up with the winner in the dying embers of the clash, as John Eustace's positive start to life in the St Andrew's hotseat continued.

The Blues have posted two wins and a draw from their friendly battles this month - beating Walsall before drawing with Portimonense - and the challenge of Rayo Vallecano also awaits Birmingham, whose proposed takeover is seemingly no closer to being finalised.

Birmingham and Cheltenham have only ever locked horns once before in the first round of the 1990-91 FA Cup, which saw the St Andrew's outfit run out 1-0 winners before they were sent packing by Brentford in round two.

While Eustace will lead a team out for the Cheltenham friendly, another Birmingham team will take part in a charity match with Solihull Moors for the Arthur Cup, which is dedicated to the memory of Blues fan Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.

Cheltenham Town pre-season form:

Birmingham City pre-season form:

Team News

Cheltenham Town were blessed with a triple injury boost in the recent defeat to Cardiff, as Matty Blair, Alfie May and Grant Horton all earned their first minutes of the summer.

Southampton loanee Dan N'Lundulu has also battled his way back from a hamstring injury and will likely be named in the starting lineup this week, while Taylor Perry could make his first start after arriving on a temporary basis from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Meanwhile, Birmingham made two notable acquisitions ahead of their win against Burton Albion, bringing in John Ruddy and Arsenal's Auston Trusty to beef up their backline.

Ruddy will expect to play second fiddle to Neil Etheridge, but Trusty could be handed his debut here as he battles with the likes of Harlee Dean, Dion Sanderson and Marc Roberts in the heart of defence.

Jobe Bellingham will enter the game fresh from having signed his first professional contract, as Troy Deeney wears the captain's armband from the final third of the field.

Cheltenham Town possible starting lineup:

MacDonald; Long, Freestone, Bradbury, Williams; Adshead, Sercombe, Perry; N'Lundulu, May, Lloyd

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:

Etheridge; Colin, Roberts, Trusty, Sanderson; Bacuna, Woods, James; Graham, Deeney, Placheta

We say: Cheltenham Town 0-1 Birmingham City

It remains to be seen which crop of Birmingham players will be selected for the Cheltenham and Solihull Moors encounters, but the visitors will be buoyed by their strong start to life under Eustace either way.

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