Playmaker now on 11 for the season...
Erhun Oztumer has already achieved his pre-season target of ten goals - but the diminutive playmaker is hoping for even more.The 25-year-old took his Saddlers goal tally to double figures with a fine free-kick at Bury, before going on to score his 11th of the campaign against Northampton.
But the Greenwich-born schemer doesn’t want the goals to end there, especially with the Saddlers now just four points outside the play-off places.
“My target at the start of the season was 10,” said Oztumer. “Before the Northampton game it was 11, so now it is 12.
“In non-league I scored lots of goals, but this is my best scoring run in professional football. I was pleased with the goal on Saturday because it was my first with my right foot.
“I want to keep scoring, but the important thing is for the team to keep winning. We’re four points off the play-offs now and that is the target – to finish in the top six.
“I know there are teams with one or two games in hand but we’re in good form and we want to keep that going.
“We’re climbing the table and we believe everything is still to play for.”
Jon Whitney’s men face a real test of their top-six credentials in the coming weeks, with two tough away games against promotion hopefuls Bolton and Scunthorpe.
The Saddlers have fared well against the top sides – beating Sheffield United three times and Bolton once – and Oztumer believes we can upset the odds again.
“We beat Sheffield United away and it’ll be a similar game,” he added.
“There’ll be a big crowd, they’ve got a good squad and these are the games you look out for when the fixtures come out.
“We’re in great form and we feel we can give anyone a game. Confidence is high at the moment.
“It’s a great place to be and we can’t wait for Bolton. We’re just looking to keep playing well and if we can do that, we’ll have a better chance of getting the three points.”