Joe Edwards backs Andreas Makris to hit goal trail

The striker, signed for a record fee believed to in the region of £175,000, is yet to open his Saddlers account since moving from Cypriot side Anorthosis Famagusta in the summer.

Despite his slow start to life at the Banks's Stadium, Makris put on arguably his best display in a Walsall shirt in Saturday's clash at Bradford.

And Edwards revealed the entire squad is desperate to see him net that elusive first goal.

"I think when they first one comes it is one of them where Andreas will go on and get a couple," he said. "He works really hard in training and he is always in the gym trying to improve himself.

"We are all behind him and we really want him to score. He came close twice at Bradford and if one of them had gone in we would have all gone mental."

"He is getting close. He is getting chances. He works incredibly hard for the team and he is still very young.

"I didn't realise until the other day just how young he is. So we have got to be patient with him and support him as best we can.

"We are hoping this will be his learning year for him and next year he will be firing on all cylinders and able to score plenty of goals."

Meanwhile, Walsall are reported to be among a host of clubs monitoring Stockport County winger Danny Lloyd.

The 25-year-old has become one of most in-demand players in non-league having scored 26 goals and registering 19 assists for the National League North side this season.

He previously played for AFC Fylde where he scored 61 goals in three seasons.

But Walsall face a battle if they are interested in luring the winger to the Banks's Stadium with Peterborough, Shrewsbury, Portsmouth and Plymouth Argyle all reportedly keen.

Scottish pair Motherwell and Hibernian are also believed to be tracking the former Lincoln City man.