Walsall vs Crewe preview - Saddlers unlikely to risk Bradshaw

Posted Friday, October 17, 2014 by PA

Walsall boss Dean Smith rates top scorer Tom Bradshaw a 50-50 chance to be fit for Saturday's League One clash with Crewe following a hamstring injury.

Andy Taylor is available again after recovering from the illness which kept him out of last week's 2-1 loss at Oldham.

Romaine Sawyers returns from international duty with St Kitts, while Sam Mantom is back in training following a knee injury which has prevented him from playing this term.

"We have to be careful not to rush him back too soon and with the matches coming thick and fast, we don't want to lose him for any longer than we have to," Smith said of Bradshaw on the club website.

Crewe will be able to call upon Marcus Haber for the trip.

The club's joint top scorer neglected the Alex's pleas to stay with them instead of linking up with Canada, which forced him to miss last Saturday's home win over Coventry.

Central defender Harry Davis has an outside chance of making the bench after stepping up his return from a long-term knee problem in recent weeks.

Teenager James Jones is also back from international duty but young forward Ryan Colclough (hernia) remains the Railwaymen's only injury absentee.