The run-in to the end of the 2013/14 season...
THE MONTH of April got underway with a local derby at Port Vale.It was a frustrating afternoon for The Saddlers as we failed to make our dominance count and ended up going down to a second half penalty kick.
The bright spot of the afternoon was the introduction of youth team front-man, Amadou Bakayoko for his senior debut during the second period.
Our next game saw us back on home soil for the visit of a resurgent Bristol City.
Again it was a penalty that decided the encounter and, as per the last game, it was our visitors who profited right on the stroke of half-time.
With our play-off hopes disappearing, a Good Friday trip to Carlisle United yielded a point from a 1-1 draw.
We were the better side for long periods once more but had a first goal for the club from on-loan front-man, Michael Ngoo to thank for a share of the spoils.
It was a prompt return to action for our Bank Holiday Monday encounter with Gillingham and it was another story of us not taking our chances as Febian Brandy's opening goal was cancelled out by a late leveller from our visitors.
A final away trip of the season took us to already-relegated Stevenage.
It was the home side who went in at the break one goal to the good, but that was soon turned on its head as Mal Benning notched his second goal of the season within a minute of the restart and then Craig Westcarr made it 2-1 on 50 minutes.
It didn't take the home side long to get back on level terms again and they went on to claim all three points as they took advantage of a defensive mistake.
The season came to a close on May 3rd with the visit of a Colchester United side who secured their League One status the previous week.
It was Walsall who created the better chances but The U's took all three points back to Essex with a rather fortunate goal as James Chambers' clearance deflected into the net off a visiting player.
The defeat meant that we slipped out of the top half of the table for the first time all season and finished in 13th position.