There are games that make you think that you might just be going to do something this season. A cold, wet, windy evening in Chester leading to a point is one of those.

The Saddlers never managed to get the same amount of control in the second half, with the advantage of the conditions, that Chester had shown in the first and this was, really, a fairly poor performance from the Saddlers, according to the Fat Controller.

Dicky Dosh mixed the personnel and the tactics up, bringing on Pead for Wright, then Demontagnac for Taylor and, finally, goals scoring talisman Dann, all to no avail, as the game ran out to the almost inevitable draw, given our defensive record.

There was time for Bossu to produce a couple of good saves and one superb one to protect yet another clean sheet and for Keates to go very close with a free kick, but the draw began to look more and more inevitable, yet the Saddlers were still grateful for the ball hitting the woodwork twice.

In the end, most Walsall fans would have taken a point before the game and that’s exactly what we got, as the march to the top goes on. but his will go down as one of the poorer away performances of the season. The ball, when it did go forward, just didn’t stick and it shows how much we tend to miss Hector Sam when he’s not there.

Opinion on the mesaage board is mainly in agreement with the Fat Controller’s asessmemt, although Cully has gone so far as to call it “appalling”. It seems that, whent eh central midfeild decide to have an off day, they do it big style, as Keates and, especially, Dobson, were never really in the game.

The Fat Controller reporting directly from the Diva Stadium (or whatever they call it nowadays).

The wind was the biggest factor of the first half. With the Saddlers playing into the teeth of half a gale and driving rain, the game wasn’t going to be easy.

Chester had nearly all of the pressure in the first 45, but, yet again, without really hurting Dicky Dosh’s men.

Bossu, while showing signs of eccentricity, has handled th few shots he’s had to deal with well.

Roper and Gerrard have been immense, Westwood is standing up well to a lot of pressure, while Fox and Taylor have been their efficient selves.

Dobson and Keates have been battling, but Wright is struggling to make an impact and Bedeau j
just can’t hold the ball up as well as Sam, leaving Butler fairly anonymous.

The Saddlers do, however, have the wind in the second half and that may be crucial.

Richard Money’s only changes were to replace the two Trinidad and Tobago Internationals, with Bossu coming on for Ince and Bedeau for Sam.

Walsall’s line up is:

Bossu, Westwood, Roper, Gerrard, Taylor, Wright, Dobson, Keates, Fox, Butler, Bedeau.

Subs are Gilmartin, Pead, Demontagnac, Sam and Dann.

Walsall goalkeeper Clayton Ince has been banned until next Wednesday, at the instigation of the Trinidad and Tobago FA.

Walsall had turned down an approach from T&T to call Ince up for their two internationals next week, on the grounds that he was injured.

While the T&T FA have accepted the club’s explanation (it’s hardly likely that they wouldn’t given the club and country share the same doctor), Ince’s home association have decided to invoke the rules banning him for five days, in order to make sure Walsall are not tempted to play him at Chester tonight.

Ince would not be able to play, therefore, until next Wednesday and Bertrand Bossu will be making his debut.

Walsall goalkeeper Clayton Ince has been banned until next Wednesday, at the instigation of the Trinidad and Tobago FA.

Walsall had turned down an approach from T&T to call Ince up for their two internationals next week, on the grounds that he was injured.

While the T&T FA have accepted the club’s explanation (it’s hardly likely that they wouldn’t given the club and country share the same doctor), Ince’s home association have decided to invoke the rules banning him for five days, in order to make sure Walsall are not tempted to play him at Chester tonight.

Ince would not be able to play, therefore, until next Wednesday and Bertrand Bossu will be making his debut.