Walsall Head Coach Mat Sadler insists it is still all to play for and he is looking to use the frustrations from Saturday’s defeat to Notts County as motivation to take into Tuesday night’s clash with Swindon Town.
The Saddlers will be looking to get back to winning ways after suffering back-to-back defeats.
Despite the recent setbacks, Walsall remain just three points adrift of the play-off places and Sadler stressed that nothing was ever going to be decided at the weekend and with results elsewhere favouring the Saddlers with Crawley Town losing to Colchester United, it is still very much all to play for.
“I knew it would be (still all to play for) before Saturday’s game and the way the results panned out, it’s even more so the case,” he said.
“For us, we just want to approach it on the front foot and banish all of that (from the weekend), sometimes that happens in football, you get those days and it didn’t quite go for us.
“We’re gutted about that because it was all set up with the support and how we felt about the game so we’re gutted about that but we have to use that as motivation to then go into the next one and we want to be stood here on Tuesday night feeling a lot better about the picture and moving forwards so that’s the mentality.”
One positive to come from the weekend was Saddlers fans got their first glimpse of Jamie Jellis who came off the bench to make his long-awaited debut after recovering from an injury he picked up whilst at Tamworth just prior to his move to the Poundland Bescot Stadium.
Sadler is excited for what the future holds for the midfielder and was pleased to get him on the pitch.
“I’m delighted for Jamie,” he commented.
“He’s been unbelievable in terms of the way he’s wanted to try and get back in, he’s worked so hard to be part of the group and I wanted to give him that as a reward for how hard he’s been working.
“He’s a kid with a bright future so I’m pleased for him to get his debut in the Football League.”
Elsewhere, Jackson Smith was again absent from the squad while Emmanuel Adegboyega dropped out of the 18 and Sadler explained the reason behind their absences.
“In terms of Manny and Donervon (Daniels) coming back in and reverting to Dave on that right hand side, I felt happy to do that.
“Manny has been tremendous in his debut EFL season, I just felt that it had caught up with him on Tuesday night and he needed that bit of a breather.
“We’re fortunate to have the Skipper waiting to come in and I thought as the game grew on, he became more influential.
“Owen (Evans) remains in goal as Jacko has concussion so we’re very fortunate we have the people that we have to come in those positions. Brandon misses the next game so the group will be test and we have to come out fighting.”
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