Walsall Football Club

The Saddlers take on Scunthorpe this evening...

OVERVIEW:
The high-flying Saddlers have drawn back-to-back league matches and will be hoping for a victory in Dean Smith’s 250th match in charge. Walsall can go top on goal difference with a win – but only if leaders Burton also lose at home to Sheffield United. Mark Robins’ Scunthorpe slipped into the relegation zone following a 2-1 reverse at Southend – their third defeat in four matches.

LEAGUE STANDINGS:
Scunthorpe: 21st – W2 D2 L5 F8 A12 PTS 8
Walsall: 2nd – W5 D3 L1 F15 A6 PTS18

LAST FIVE LEAGUE MATCHES: (Most recent match first)
Scunthorpe: LLWLD
Walsall: DDWLW

LAST TIME OUT:
Saturday, 26th September – Southend 2-1 Scunthorpe
Southend came from behind to win, thanks to a goal in each half from Michael Timlin and Ben Coker. Gary McSheffrey’s curling shot had given the Iron an eighth-minute lead.
Team: Daniels, Clarke, King, Wallace, Laird, Bishop, Ness, Lolley (van Veen 54’), Madden, McSheffrey (Adelakun 81’), Hopper (Wootton 76’).

Saturday, 26th September – Walsall 1-1 Crewe
Tom Bradshaw’s early header was cancelled out by Ben Nugent’s low drive as the Saddlers were held to a frustrating draw.
Team: Etheridge, Demetriou, Downing, O’Connor, Taylor, Chambers, Mantom, Forde (Cook 75’), Sawyers, Lalkovic (Morris 75’), Bradshaw.

HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD:
Scunthorpe wins: 14
Walsall wins: 13
Draws: 15

LAST MEETING:
Saturday, 10th January 2015 – Walsall 1-4 Scunthorpe
Goals from Tom Hopper, Paddy Madden (penalty), Neal Bishop and James Chambers (own goal) earned Scunthorpe an emphatic victory. Michael Cain netted Walsall’s consolation.

SCUNTHORPE MANAGER:
Mark Robins – A former Saddlers striker, the 45-year-old will celebrate a year in charge of Scunthorpe next month. He guided the Iron to League One safety last season, and has also managed Rotherham, Barnsley, Coventry and Huddersfield. Capped six times by England at U21 level, Robins played for Manchester United, Norwich and Leicester to name but a few.

SCUNTHORPE STAR MAN:
Paddy Madden – The Irish forward has scored 27 goals in 87 appearances for Scunthorpe – including five this season – since signing from Yeovil in January 2014. The 25-year-old won the League One Golden Boot in 2012/13 after helping the Glovers win promotion to the Championship for the first time in their history. He started his career with Bohemians before joining Carlisle.

VIEW FROM THE SCUNTHORPE CAMP:
Mark Robins (on the Iron’s start to the season) – “Being in the bottom four is an absolute joke. We can’t be happy with that – we are under-achieving and under-performing and we need to turn that around as quickly as we possibly can.”

TEAM NEWS:
Scunthorpe: Striker Darius Henderson is a doubt. Huddersfield loanee Joe Lolley could make his home debut.
Walsall: Isaiah Osbourne is out. No other injury concerns.

REFEREE:
Paul Tierney (from Lancashire).

STAT OF THE DAY:
The Saddlers’ last victory against Scunthorpe came on 21st February 2012. Florent Cuvelier scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Glanford Park.

THIS EVENING’S LEAGUE ONE FIXTURES: (7.45pm unless stated)
Blackpool vs. Chesterfield
Burton vs. Sheff Utd
Colchester vs. Bradford
Crewe vs. Southend
Doncaster vs. Swindon
Gillingham vs. Fleetwood
Peterborough vs. Bury
Port Vale vs. Oldham
Rochdale vs. Shrewsbury
Wigan vs. Millwall