PAWEL ABBOTT went for surgery today pledging to be back in a month.

The 24-year-old striker is having a double hernia operation to cure a problem he's had for the last couple of months.

Abbott - who has started only three matches in the last 10 - intends to be fighting fit my mid-December.

Before leaving the Galpharm today, he said: "With not being in the team at the moment I might as well get the operation done and get myself fit again.

"The problem has been pretty bad, although I'm not trying to make excuses in any way.

"I was feeling the injury back in September and Lee Martin (the club physio) said I would be okay to carry on playing until the stage where I just couldn't continue any more.

"We have been putting it off and putting it off but, with not being in the side right now, we felt it would be a good opportunity to get it sorted out."

Abbott, who has three goals this season but was a non-playing sub in the FA Cup defeat by Blackpool, could be back for the League I trip to Leyton Orient on December 9, as Martin hopes recuperation will be no longer than three weeks.

..TEXT: Abbott, who has not had a hernia operation before, added: "Hopefully I will be back in the minimum time of about three weeks, but everyone is different so we'll have to just wait and see."

Manager Peter Jackson has strikers Andy Booth and Luke Beckett both fit for Saturday's League I trip to Blackpool, with John McAliskey waiting in the wings.

Skipper Jon Worthington, right-back Andy Holdsworth and left-back Danny Adams are all suspended for the trip to Bloomfield Road, so changes are certain.

On Saturday's match, Abbott reflected: "I thought we were the better side.

"But, when you don't really create enough chances, it can come back to haunt you in matches like that.

"They are the sort of games we should be winning and I'm not making excuses.

"But the penalty we went out to was very harsh and very dubious and there's not a lot you can do about that."

* Alan Dunne's superb late goal enabled Town's League I rivals Millwall to beat non-league Havant and Waterlooville 2-1 in last night's FA Cup first-round clash at Portsmouth's Fratton Park.

The 2004 FA Cup finalists took the lead in the opening five minutes when Ben May slotted home from close range after a run and cross from Chris Hackett.

After hitting the bar, Mo Harkin provided the cross for Rocky Baptiste to equalise just before the hour.

But Havant had no answer to Dunne's stunning 25-yard shot on 71 minutes.

Millwall now visit Bradford in the second round on Saturday, December 2, three days before they host Town in a league clash.

Ten-man Walsall held on to earn an FA Cup first-round replay against struggling Macclesfield at Moss Rose.

The Cheshire side looked the more dangerous in the opening 20 minutes with John Murphy blasting over the bar and Simon Wiles putting in some telling crosses.

Hector Sam twice broke clear for Walsall, but could not find the target.

Walsall's Craig Pead was sent off in the 80th minute for a high tackle, but Paul Ince's side were unable to capitalise.