Wanderers' were hit by more bad luck today as FA Cup opponents Leeds United celebrated a triple boost.

The postponement of Saturday's fourth round Roses clash will make key men Tony Yeboah and Richard Jobson available for a tie they were set to miss.

And there was more good news for Leeds boss Howard Wilkinson today when right back Gary Kelly was given an unexpected all-clear for the rearranged clash.

Saturday's game was called off early due to the heavy snowfall which made the terraces treacherous and rendered the pitch unplayable despite Burnden's undersoil heating. The postponement put both teams into the hat for the fifth round draw which paired the winners with the victors of the replay between Port Vale and holders Everton.

Wanderers now face an even sterner test against Leeds whose strikeforce is less potent without the mercurial Yeboah who maintained his goal touch yesterday with the winner which earned Ghana a 1-0 victory over Zaire and a semi-final clash with hosts South Africa in the African Nations Cup on Wednesday.

He will come up against Leeds teammates Phil Masinga and Lucas Radebe in the semi clash and, with the final next weekend, all three will be back at Wilkinson's disposal for the Burnden tie.

Centre half Jobson is understood to have failed his fitness race for Saturday's game although Tony Dorigo, another doubtful starter, was set to play after shaking off his injury. Leeds were expecting a three-match ban for Republic of Ireland full back Kelly following his sending off at Liverpool nine days ago.

But the FA informed Elland Road today that he will only miss one game - against Aston Villa in the Premiership next Saturday - and would be available to return for Burnden's big night three days later.

The one silver lining for Wanderers, who were ironically training on Burnden today after the thaw and the undersoil heating cleared the snow from the pitch - is that centre half Gerry Taggart will have more time to recover from an ankle injury which would have forced him out of Saturday's tie. Midfielder Alan Thompson could also make himself available for the tie if he can convince Burnden boss Colin Todd of his fitness following his double hernia operation at the beginning of December.

The left flanker came through his first comeback game last week and is due to a second outing in the reserves at Derby tomorrow night. Meanwhile, Todd refused to set his sights any further than Saturday's Premiership trip to Blackburn.

"The one good thing is that we now have more time to prepare for Saturday's game which I consider to be our most important match. All our thoughts are concentrated on Blackburn."

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