SWINDON Town manager Martin Ling will put his long friendship with Walsall boss Dean Smith to one side for 90 minutes as he looks to put Saturday’s dismal defeat behind him.

The duo spent four years playing alongside each other at Leyton Orient before the Saddlers chief then became Ling’s assistant at Brisbane Road.

More recently, the County Ground boss had been a south of England scout for Walsall prior to his appointment in Wiltshire.

However, following Saturday’s 5-1 humiliation away to Fleetwood Town, Ling will be saving the pleasantries until after the final whistle.

Having shipped nine goals in his opening three games in charge, Ling will be concentrating on keeping things tight at the back, especially with Tom Bradshaw in the visiting team’s arsenal.

The 23-year-old was a summer target for Town but Lee Power was unable to prise him away from the Midlands. He has scored 10 goals already this campaign and has a lethal partnership with Romaine Sawyers, meaning it could be a long evening for the Swindon back three.

“I know the club well. I have done some scouting work for him (Dean Smith) and he is a real close friend,” said Ling. “It will be nice to catch up with him but the most important thing is to get the right result for Swindon Town and the friendship will be the same after the game as it was prior to the game.

“They are flying this year and they are way above where they should be in the table and he is doing a real good job there.

“We need to be on our best performance to put up a fight against them on Tuesday - that is for sure.”

Ling has hinted at making some changes to the side that lost on Saturday, but with the number of loan players in the squad his choices to move things about could be limited, although Drissa Traore could make the squad after missing Saturday.