WALSALL will have to make do without star striker Simeon Jackson as they look to record a first away league win of the season when they travel to take on Swindon Town tomorrow.

Jackson, who has been absent since the start of the month with a thigh injury, was hoping to return to the fray for Tuesday’s game with Gillingham.

However, having not featured at the Bescot Stadium in midweek, Walsall manager Jon Whitney has ruled out the Canadian international, who has five goals to his name already this term, playing any part in tomorrow’s clash at the County Ground.

“I’m not going to risk Simeon,” said Whitney, who will have Amadou Bakayoko back from suspension to start up front in Jackson’s absence, as well as club-record signing Andreas Makris.

“We don’t want to put any pressure on him and we want to ease him back.

“We can’t have it where he comes back, plays one game and breaks down again. Then it becomes a very intermittent season for him.

“We are going to give him a little bit longer to make sure when he is back, he is fit, robust and ready for a good run of games.

“That means we have Ama and Andreas to pick from for the weekend but they are a good two.

“I thought Andreas grew into the game at Gillingham. He really occupied the two centre-backs and is still only 20.

“To have them and with the options we have in wide areas means we have more than enough to be a real threat.”

Walsall head to Wiltshire having endured something of a hangover from last season having missed out on an automatic promotion spot by one place before crumbling to a aggregate 6-1 loss in the play-off semi-final to promoted Barnsley.

That sparked the departure of 10 players over the summer, with Whitney turning to the loan system and youth, as well as record-signing Cypriot Makris.

While Whitney’s side have failed to pick up three points on the road this term in the league, they are unbeaten in their last four outings and the Bescot boss is not worried about their away form as he prepares his team for what he anticipates to be a tough outing against a revitalised Town side.

“I know we talk about an away win but it will come,” he added.

“If you can stay unbeaten, pick up draws on the road and wins at home, they are the ingredients for a successful campaign.

“We will go there and hit the ground running. It’ll be a tough game. They are coming off the back of a really good win against Rochdale.

“They are one point behind us, but if we can get extend this run - make it one defeat in nine then we are heading in the right direction.”