Walsall midfielder Joe Riley is keen to build on Monday’s draw with Carlisle United when the team travel to Crewe Alexandra tomorrow afternoon.
The Saddlers will be looking to get back to winning ways at the Mornflake Stadium against a Crewe side who have a good recent home record.
Riley is expecting to meet a good footballing team in the Railwaymen and is expecting them to respond after losing 4-0 to Colchester United last time out.
“I think they’ll be well up for the game,” said Riley.
“They lost 4-0 so they’ll be desperate to turn things around. Over the previous years when you think of Crewe you think of a team who are going to get the ball down and play, I can see them being the same this time. In terms of the game, it’s going to be a tough one.
“They’ve got a point to prove, we’re going to their place where they haven’t lost in four.
“It’s going to be a tough game but the boys are well up for it. We had that draw which was a well-earned point against Carlisle on Monday so the boys are well up for it, we’ll build on that and hopefully we can go there and get three points.”
It’s been a difficult first season at the Poundland Bescot Stadium for Riley who has spent nine months out injured.
He’s made nine appearances since returning and while he also has one eye on next season, he’s looking to have a strong end to this campaign and put a difficult first nine months behind him.
“Mentally it’s been a tough season,” he admitted.
“What goes on behind closed doors people don’t see. Having scans, seeing specialists every other week, people not knowing what it is – mentally it drains you.
"I think although the boys have played a lot more games than me, coming back from nine months to then being thrown in and playing straight away, your body's got to kind of adjust to that so I think the break will do me good to then come back fresh, hungry and ready to go next season.”
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