Division match away to fellow promotion chasers Millwall, having trained this week despite a broken jaw.

With the team anxious to bounce back from last weekend's shock home loss to struggling Bournemouth there's a good chance Goater will start the match. He trained this week and came through a heading session yesterday.

But the real test will come today in an actual match situation.

"We threw away three points against Bournemouth in our last game so it's important that we get something from this game,'' said Goater yesterday.

"Obviously you're going to have hands and elbows up around the cheekbones but you have to be brave to go into it. That's when you know you have put it in the back of your head.'' Goater has now been fitted with a brace because the gum shield he was wearing wasn't keeping the teeth steady enough. He will wear the brace for another four weeks.

Even without the injury, Bermuda Football Association had made the decision not to bring back Goater or Kyle Lightbourne for next month's Shell/Umbro Cup qualifying matches in Jamaica. The BFA said they did not want to disrupt the players' season as both Bristol City and Walsall are in the hunt for promotion.

"I would like to say thank you to the BFA for considering our situation, looking out for our future and not wanting to interrupt our season,'' said Goater, who found himself in a difficult situation of trying to please both his club and country.

"They could have easily said `you're coming back no matter what'.'' However, the question of the players' availability will certainly come up again should the team advance to the next stage of the cup competition in April. But that too will be a critical stage of the season for the players' clubs if they are still in the promotion chase.

This weekend Walsall, in mid-table but with games in hand, are away to Peterborough before taking on Millwall next weekend.

Both Goater and Lightbourne have scored 13 goals for their respective clubs.

SHAWN GOATER -- back in the City squad