Town are sweating on the fitness of Darren Bent, Matt Richards and Alan Mahon ahead of Saturday's game with Watford at Vicarage Road. The three are the only players on Joe Royle's lengthy injury list in with a chance of making it for Saturday.

Striker Bent is expected to train on Friday after picking up a medial ligament injury in the victory over Wimbledon. Richards will also be back in training after concussion caused by a blow to the head during the Notts County match on Tuesday. He and Bent will be assessed on Friday.

Alan Mahon will have a scan on his thigh/groin injury on Thursday afternoon to discover whether it is a strain or merely muscle tightness. The loanee is considered doubtful for Saturday at this stage.

Centre-half Drissa Diallo is out for another week due to a lateral knee ligament problem.

Tommy Miller is still recovering from damaged knee ligaments and is still two weeks from action while Chris Makin is set for a second scan on Thursday on his thigh muscle problem. The full-back is thought to be three or four weeks off fitness.

John McGreal is set for an epidural as he aims to recover from his back injury. He will also be given a four-to-six week exercise plan. The former Tranmere man has little chance of first team action until November.

Loan midfielder Chris Bart-Williams returns after missing out at Notts County on Tuesday and Joe Royle is hopeful of bringing in someone on loan before the weekend.

Royle says he wants his side to get back to winning ways after the defeat at Meadow Lane: “We were disappointed on Tuesday night, but you might say there were mitigating circumstances.

“We'll be stronger with Chris Bart-Williams coming back and we'll see how the other seniors are as well. But whatever happens we'll be stronger than at Notts County.”

Goalkeeper Kelvin Davis has his manager's sympathy after playing well but not yet keeping a clean sheet in the league: “I feel sorry for Kelvin because I think he's been exceptional in everything; his confidence, his competence and his kicking have all been outstanding.

“He's made one mistake and we still haven't had a clean sheet and that's unfortunate. He deserves one.”

Last season the Blues were their most impressive away from home when they won 2-0 at Watford shortly after Royle had taken over at Town: “We did the double over them last year and significantly our good run started there when we played exceptional well there.

“But it's never an easy place to go, we know that, and as I say every week it's about us.If we carry on progressing from last week we have a chance. I fancy us anywhere in this division.”

However, the Blues' boss is concerned about his side's lack of form on their travels this season: “Our away performances and results this year haven't been good. We've got just the one goal from a corner.

The other night was a reminder that the victory over Wimbledon doesn't mean to say all our striking problems have been solved yet. I'm very wary of that and we do need to pose a bigger threat, especially away from home.”

Despite requiring more goals Kelvin Davis is unlikely to join the ranks of goalkeepers scoring goals: “He'd love to. He'd certainly take freekicks. He smacks a freekick as hard as anyone in the club. But, no we won't get to that!”

Watford have taken Spurs full-back Stephen Kelly on loan which doesn't surprise the Town boss: “Everyone realises the loan market is there to be used this year and apart from the clubs in European competitions they've all got plenty of players to spare.”

On the way out of Vicarage Road recently went former Blue Wayne Brown who has joined Gillingham on a month's loan with a view to a permanent switch. Striker Tommy Smith has also left, signing at Sunderland for an undisclosed fee.

Ex-Town loanee Paolo Vernazza is very much out of favour with manager Ray Lewington while Micah Hyde, who broke Kieron Dyer's leg a few years back at Portman Road, misses out on Saturday with a hamstring problem.

Heidar Helguson (knee) and Richard Lee (broken arm) are both long-term injuries and Jason Norville has missed out recently with a groin injury. Lee Peacock and Neal Ardley, calf and ankle respectively, will hope to be involved against Town.

Saturday's referee is Tony Leake from Lancashire who has shown 16 yellow and one red card in his seven games this season. The last Town game he officiated was the 1-1 draw at Birmingham in February 2000.

Likely squad: Armstrong, Bart-Williams, Bent/Morrow, Bowditch, Couñago, Davis, Magilton, Mahon/Bloomfield, Nash, Naylor, Price, Richards, Santos, Westlake, Wilnis and Wright.

Photo: Action Images

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