A televised Bank Holiday Monday fixture...
WALSALL VS. FLEETWOOD
Banks’s Stadium
Monday, 2nd May 2016 (Kick-off 12.15pm)
Sky Bet League One
Banks’s Stadium
Monday, 2nd May 2016 (Kick-off 12.15pm)
Sky Bet League One
OVERVIEW:
Walsall must beat Fleetwood to stand any chance of pipping Burton to automatic promotion. Anything less than a win will confirm the Brewers’ promotion to the Championship and the Saddlers’ place in the end-of-season play-offs. Fifth-bottom Fleetwood, meanwhile, need just one point to preserve their League One status. A draw would move the Cod Army three points clear of local-neighbours Blackpool, in 21st, but with a vastly-superior goal difference.
LEAGUE STANDINGS:
Walsall: 4th – P44 W22 D12 L10 F63 A48 PTS78
Fleetwood: 20th – P44 W11 D15 L18 F49 A53 PTS48
LAST FIVE LEAGUE MATCHES: (Most recent match first)
Walsall: WLDWW
Fleetwood: DLDDW
LAST TIME OUT:
26th April – Walsall 2-1 Shrewsbury – League One
First-half goals from Kieron Morris and Rico Henry gave Walsall a nervy win over Shrewsbury. Mat Sadler netted the visitors' consolation.
Team:Etheridge, Demetriou, O’Connor, Downing, Henry, Chambers, Morris (Hiwula 88’), Forde, Sawyers, Lalkovic (Mantom 75’), Bradshaw (Cook 79’).
Subs not used: MacGillivray, Taylor, Preston, Kinsella.
23rd April – Fleetwood 0-0 Blackpool – League One
Fleetwood were held to a tense goalless draw with relegation rivals and local neighbours Blackpool.
Team:Maxwell, McLaughlin, Pond, Jordan, Bell, Ryan, Jonsson, Scougall (Ball 60’), Grant (Hunter 60’), Burns, Sarcevic (Ameobi 70’).
Subs not used: Hornby-Forbes, Nilsson, Gogic, Cole.
HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD:
Walsall wins: 5
Fleetwood wins: 0
Draws: 1
LAST MEETING:
15th March 2016 – Fleetwood 0-1 Walsall – League One
Tom Bradshaw scored his 17th goal of the season as Walsall edged past Fleetwood to move level on points with the automatic promotion places. The Saddlers’ leading marksman opened the scoring on 49 minutes with a powerful right-footed strike into the top corner. The visitors, though, were indebted to goalkeeper Neil Etheridge for a string of fines saves, including a stunning injury-time stop from Devante Cole.
FLEETWOOD MANAGER:
Steven Pressley – The 42-year-old was appointed Fleetwood manager in October 2015, succeeding Graham Alexander. He spent two years in charge of Coventry and won the Scottish Challenge Cup with Falkirk in his first managerial position. The former Scotland international played for Rangers, Celtic, Hearts and Dundee United.
FLEETWOOD STAR MAN:
Wes Burns – The Wales U21 international has scored five goals in 14 matches for Fleetwood since signing on loan from Bristol City in February 2016. A product of the Robins’ youth system, the 21-year-old forward has made 44 league appearances for his parent club and has also played on loan at Forest Green, Oxford and Cheltenham.
VIEW FROM THE FLEETWOOD CAMP:
Steven Pressley (on tomorrow’s game) – “I’m hoping for a positive performance and a positive result. Walsall have still got an opportunity for automatic promotion which means it’ll bring additional spice to the game as we need to win as well. Both sides have very much got something to play for and that in itself means it should be a really intense game of football.”
WALSALL TEAM NEWS:
Reece Flanagan (ACL) is out. Isaiah Osbourne stepped up his recovery from a knee injury by playing 45 minutes for the reserves in midweek.
REFEREE:
Tim Robinson.
STAT OF THE DAY:
We have won our last five matches against Fleetwood without conceding a goal (three 1-0’s and two 2-0’s).