Lavery in contention for Walsall debut

Posted Thursday, August 08, 2019 by PA

New Walsall striker Caolan Lavery will hope to begin his quest for a fourth successive promotion against Forest Green on Saturday.

The 26-year-old became the club’s 15th summer signing when he arrived from Sheffield United this week having gone up with the Blades and loan clubs Rotherham and Bury in the last three seasons.

Manager Darrell Clarke handed debuts to six men – James Clarke, Mat Sadler, Cameron Pring, Stuart Sinclair, Danny Guthrie and Elijah Adebayo – in his starting line-up in last weekend’s 1-0 win at Northampton.

Three more – Zak Jules, Gary Liddle and Rory Holden – joined them from the bench as the Saddlers opened their campaign in positive fashion, and Lavery will hope to be a 10th debutant of the season.

Forest Green boss Mark Cooper will be without striker George Williams, who is facing five months on the sidelines after he suffered a leg fracture just three minutes into the new season.

Williams broke the fibula in his left leg in a challenge with Oldham’s Zak Mills and has since undergone surgery to pin the bone and repair ligament damage.

Teenage striker Taylor Allen will hope for further action after scoring the winner from the bench on his Football League debut last weekend – he and summer arrival Matty Stevens will push Shawn McCoulsky for a start.

There is competition too for the goalkeeping spot, with Joe Wollacott having arrived on loan from Bristol City in midweek to challenge Lewis Thomas and Adam Smith.