Mat Sadler's men will be back in action this weekend as they welcome Ian Holloway and his Swindon Town side to the Poundland Bescot Stadium.
PRE-MATCH NEWS & VIEWS
Walsall will begin the month of March with a home tie against the recently-improving Swindon Town on Saturday afternoon.
After earning two wins in as many games, the Saddlers looked to be on course to adding a third during a midweek clash with Cheltenham Town, as goals from Ellis Harrison and Albert Adomah put them into a two-goal lead with just minutes of the match remaining.
However, in what has to go down as one of the worst collapses in recent memory, a 90th minute goal from former Saddler George Miller along with a Jordan Thomas effort three minutes into injury time saw the spoils shared.
Although the game didn't end in defeat, there will always be a tinge of disappointment after seeing the Saddlers surrender what appeared to be a comfortable lead.
As ever, the only thing that really matters is how the team reacts when they kick-off at 3.00pm on Saturday afternoon.
Facing a team that has been steadily heading in the right direction, the Saddlers have an opportunity to enter a statement performance and, once again, return to winning ways.
Follow up the draw with a defeat, however, and there will no doubt be plenty of questions as to whether they will be able to maintain their place at the top of the table as we edge closer to the business end of the campaign.
WALSALL TEAM NEWS
Donervon Daniels, Priestley Farquharson, Jack Earing and George Hall are still missing for the Saddlers, though Daniels and Farquharson are said to be closer to a return.
Josh Gordon will likely miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.
OPPOSITION NEWS
The visiting Robins will reach this weekend's match on the back of a narrow 1-0 win over Chesterfield, as Kabongo Tshimanga's penalty saw them bounce back from a disappointing defeat to Harrogate Town a week earlier.
Swindon have won just two of their last ten away league games and will need to find their feet on the road if they are to continue their rise towards the top half of the table.
FORM IN FIVE
Here is how the Saddlers and their opponents Swindon Town have fared in their last five Sky Bet League Two games.
WALSALL
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SWINDON TOWN |
LDWWD
| WWDLW
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HEAD-TO-HEAD
There have been a total of 108 competitive meetings between Walsall and Swindon Town. And it's the Robins who hold a small overall lead, having won 40 times compared to the Saddlers' 38.
There have also been thirty draws over the history of the fixture, a history which began at the County Ground on Saturday, 15th October 1927 as the two sides met in a Division Three (South) clash which the Robins won by five-goals-to-nil.
The Saddlers would also go on to lose the next two meetings, conceding another seven goals in the process, as their opponents enjoyed a strong start to the rivalry.
In fact, Walsall wouldn't secure their first victory over Swindon until their fifth meeting, which took place at Fellows Park on Monday, 23rd September 1929, and saw the Saddlers triumph four-nil.
THE LAST TIME WE MET
The most recent meeting, a Sky Bet League Two clash, took place at the Nigel Eady County Ground on Saturday, 17th August 2024 and saw the Saddlers ease to victory by four goals to nil.
Both sides created a handful of chances over the opening quarter of the game, with the goalkeepers called into action on a couple of occasions, however, it was the Saddlers who opened the scoring twelve minutes from the break.
Summer (re)signing Josh Gordon was the man to score the first goal of the contest, as he took advantage of a defensive error to beat the 'keeper one-on-one and slot the ball into the back of the net.
Walsall doubled their lead with five minutes of the first-half still to play as Jamille Matt got on the end of a Taylor Allen cross to give his side a two-goal lead, Josh Gordon playing a part in the build-up before going off injured.
Walsall added a third goal four minutes into the second forty-five as Taylor Allen unleashed a free-kick from the edge of the area, the Robins 'keeper unable to stop it from hitting the back of the net.
The Saddlers' scoring didn't stop there as substitute Albert Adomah grabbed his first goal in a Walsall shirt as he received the ball from Connor Barrett before turning in space before his shot deflected over the line.
MATCH OFFICIALS
The EFL has confirmed that Paul Howard who is based in London will take charge of the match with Abbas Khan and Ollie Williams being named as assistant referees, whilst Andrew Ellis has been selected as Fourth Official.
GAMES
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20
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YELLOW
CARDS |
RED
CARDS |
72
| 1
|
PENALTIES
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3
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