ELIJAH Adebayo has been described as one of Walsall’s better players by Swindon Town assistant manager Noel Hunt, who admits his back four must keep the striker quiet if more League Two points are to be secured this weekend.

Walsall visit the County Ground this Saturday with confidence at an all-time low.

The Saddlers are in the middle of their poorest run of form in decades.

Defeats to Salford City, Leyton Orient, Cheltenham Town, Oldham Athletic and Mansfield Town have denied Darrell Clarke’s men any points in their last five League Two fixtures – a run of that extent hasn’t been recorded by Walsall at this level in the club’s 131-year history.

Both Hunt and Town boss Richie Wellens have assessed the Saddlers’ two most recent games against Oldham and Macclesfield. Adebayo, a Swindon player last season, scored in the latter of those as the Silkmen triumphed 2-1.

This season, Adebayo has notched only two goals in 16 appearances – a record worse than his return for Swindon last season, where he scored five goals in 28 games while on loan at the club.

Putting that aside, Hunt insists Adebayo can prove a handful on his day – and central defenders Mathieu Baudry and Zeki Fryers will therefore be warned accordingly.

Hunt said: “On his day, Elijah is a handful. He’s a lovely lad, a good kid that always had a smile on his face.

“From the games we have watched him play, we felt he has done quite well. He’s one of Walsall’s better players.

“We’ll have to keep him quiet. But it’s about what we do and how we move the ball – we’ve got to impose our game on them.”

Adebayo’s premature departure from Town last January was put down to a lack of discipline on the training ground coupled with a handful of sub-standard performances by manager Wellens.

The Town boss spoke highly of the striker’s behaviour after his departure was confirmed.

But his ability to forget information was underlined as one of Adebayo’s key downfalls.

Hunt echoed Wellens’ comments from earlier this year – adding that sometimes a change of scenery is what a player requires to develop.

Hunt said: “It will happen to a player at least once in his career.

“It’s rare a player stays at one club for his entire career these days. There are so many aspects and dimensions to a player being happy at a club.

“A player has to feel right, first of all. They have to get on with the boys, the team has to suit the player’s style of play.

“There are so many complexed details that have to fit.

“Maybe for Elijah, things just weren’t right for him. But he has gone to Walsall and is doing OK.”