The Saddlers will be back in Sky Bet League Two action on Bank Holiday Monday as they welcome Salford City to the Poundland Bescot Stadium.
PRE-MATCH VIEWS
After some thirteen days without a competitive clash, the Saddlers returned to action on Good Friday as they made their way to Buckinghamshire where they faced fellow promotion hopefuls Milton Keynes Dons.
Despite their recent run seeing them rise from the doldrums of mid-table to the upper echelons of the League Two table, the Saddlers simply didn't turn up as their host were rampant.
Four second-half goals, along with one in the first forty-five, allowed MK Dons to at least maintain the gap over the teams above them as Mat Sadler's side flirted with a drop into the bottom half of the table.
Although results elsewhere saw the Saddlers slip to 11th in the table - just four points off the Play-Offs - the players have contributed to a result that may well have sewn the seeds for yet another season in the fourth tier.
Defensive fragility and a simple lack of firepower up front are two issues that continue to make it almost impossible for the team to put games to bed.
Despite a recent winning streak, and a ner-yearly squad refresh, the team continues to show just why it has sat in the bottom half of the table for the majority of the time since it dropped to League Two several years ago.
Whether a win is secured on Monday or not, its clear there is much work ahead if Walsall Football Club is to become the club we all know it is capable of being.
WALSALL TEAM NEWS
Midfielder Jack Earing became the latest victim of Walsall's ongoing injury curse last week after pulling a hamstring in midweek, with the former FC Halifax Town man set for a few weeks on the sidelines.
Several of the walking wounded were involved in Good Friday's defeat to MK Dons, though their returns hardly resulted in a positive performance.
OPPOSITION NEWS
Opponents, Salford City will reach Bank Holiday's game on the back of a 2-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Sutton United, with the result seeing Salford's poor run stretching to just two wins in eight league games.
Despite enjoying an eleven-point advantage over the dropzone, the Ammies can ill afford another defeat, especially as mot of the teams below them have at least one game in hand.
FORM IN FIVE
Here is how the Saddlers and their opponents Salford City have fared in their last five Sky Bet League Two games.
WALSALL
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SALFORD |
WLDDL
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HEAD-TO-HEAD
Walsall and Salford City have met on just nine previous occasions, and it's Salford that hold an overall head-to-head lead, having won six times compared to Walsall's three.
The first meeting took place at Banks's Stadium on Saturday, 5th October 2019, and saw the visitors ease to victory by three-goal-to-nil as Luke Armstrong, Jake Jervis, and Ibou Touray all hit the back of the net.
THE LAST TIME WE MET
The most recent meeting between the Saddlers and Ammies took place at the Peninsula Stadium on Saturday, 9th September 2023, and saw the Saddlers secure three welcome points with a 2-1 victory.
The first goal of the game went the way of the home side with around fifteen minutes on the clock, as Matt Smith bundled the ball over the line to put his side into the lead.
After being forced to defend for much of the game, the Saddlers were finally able to break free of their opponents and went on to level the scores at the hour mark as Freddie Draper headed home following quick counter-attacking play from Ryan Stirk and Oisin McEntee.
Oisin McEntee's impact upon proceedings didn't end there either, as the young defender went on to grab a goal of his own as - after Draper forced the Salford's keeper into a save - he was on hand to slot the rebound over the line.
MATCH OFFICIALS
The EFL has confirmed that Daniel Middleton will be the man in the middle as the Saddlers look to secure three more crucial points in their bid to reach the Play-Offs before the season comes to an end.
This is Middleton's first season in the EFL with the official having spent several campaigns in non-league before making the step up last summer.
We also know that Paul Evans and Oliver Spender have been named assistant referees. Alan Cresswell will act as Fourth Official.
GAMES OFFICIATED
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26
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YELLOW
CARDS |
RED
CARDS |
87
| 5
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PENALTIES AWARDED
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7
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CATCH THE MATCH
If you're not planning on going to the game you can catch the match via the club's in-house service - iFollow Walsall - which takes you through the highs and lows of every Saddlers game.
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