Dutch full-back Fabian Wilnis is Joe Royle's main worry ahead of Tuesday's visit by Walsall. The ex-De Graafschap player has two tight hamstrings but will be assessed on Tuesday.

Chris Makin and Tommy Miller are both on the sidelines with the thigh and knee problems which forced them to miss out at West Brom while John McGreal is back training with the first team after his recent hamstring problem. Martijn Reuser continues his comeback after a groin injury and could be in full training later this week.

Royle is urging unity as the club seeks to improve on their worst start to a season since the early seventies: “We need everyone to pull together. We've had a bad start, nothing more - six games. There's 120 points to play for and I can't believe some of the panic that's been created around us, but that's quite general in football.

The Town boss says that winning a game is the key to getting the season on track: “It will be like a release for everyone. I don't think in the last two games we have played generally badly in terms of playing. What we haven't done is put the ball in the net at vital times. To be in front would be nice.

“We defended poorly Saturday, from two corners, a freekick and an own goal. Apart from a ludicrous offside farce where we nearly gave away another goal, we more than matched a side which has come down from the Premiership and has had four players added to it.

“The result was harsh on us, I certainly didn't think that there was that much between the teams on Saturday.”

Walsall beat West Brom 4-1 in their first game of the season but despite the Saddlers having Paul Merson in their side, Royle says his own team's performance will be the main factor on Tuesday: “It's down to us, it always will be.”

The Blues' boss is still keen on bringing in a loan striker but would not be drawn on names: “I'm not getting into yes-no games. I'm still talking to people.”

The Town squad will be named tomorrow and Royle admits there could be changes from the side which lost at the Hawthorns. He says he is still looking for his strikers to start firing: “We've got three strikers who've all got a history of scoring goals. We need one, or preferably two, of them to start scoring.”

Walsall, who lost 1-0 to Derby at the weekend, are set to be without the suspended Vinny Samways and Zigor Aranalde. Jamie Lawrence and Stefan Oakes are back from injury while Deon Burton has joined on loan.

Tuesday's game will be officiated by Lee Cable of Woking who last refereed Town in the 1-0 home defeat to Grimsby in January 1999.

Photo: Action Images

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