I AM OF the opinion that had we kept 11 players on the pitch on Saturday, we would have won the game. We were looking comfortable until circumstances went against us with the red card and then the error that led to Southend United's opening goal.

That said, I was delighted with the character that we displayed to claw ourselves back into the game and grab a point right at the death.

We didn't deserve to lose and it was pleasing to see us dig deep and not let our heads drop. There were a number of positives to take out of the game. I was pleased to see both Steve Jones and Sam Parkin open their goalscoring account for the club, whilst young Darryl Westlake came in for his first senior start and slotted in extremely well.

He has made tremendous progress recently and can take great encouragement out of his performance at the weekend.

In what is a strong League One this season, Leeds are, once more, one of the favourites to go up. They have quality throughout their side allied to the resources and fan base to be able to make a real impact.

As such it's going to be a stern test for us and a good gauge as to where we're at.

The players have worked hard and go into the game in good spirits. There is sure to be an excellent atmosphere inside the stadium this evening and every Walsall supporter has a responsibility to make their voices heard and give us the backing that we will need.

By working together we will give ourselves every chance of being successful come the final whistle.

CHRIS HUTCHINGS