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.

All good things are supposed to come to an end, sooner or later, but Saddlers fans will be hoping that it’s the latter, in the case of the club’s great start to the season. Resources are coming back from injury to fill in for those suffering the strain and the future will start to look very rosy, if we can get over the next two or three weeks. The crucial period starts tomorrow night, with the visit to Chester City.

Darren Wrack has had a set back in his injury recovery, having picked up a strain this week, but this would probably have been too early for him anyway. Alex Nicholls has played in two reserve games, though, so he might be ready for a recall to the squad, although he has been pencilled in for another reserve appearance next week.

James Constable has also recovered from his injury and also played in the reserves this week, which may be fortunate, given that Hector Sam was withdrawn from the Trinidad and Tobago squad because he’s carrying a knock. He may well be fit enough to play some part, however. Clayton Ince was also withdrawn from the squad, and there seems to be a danger of him not playing as well The club have rated both T&T Internationals as “doubtful”. Enter Bertrand Bossu?

Allen Picken’s position is also problematical, as his knee problem just isn’t clearing up and Fangueiro will also be missing through injury.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see us line up 4 5 1, given the success of that formation in the second half last weekend, with Pead in the attacking midfield role.

Over with the opposition, however, strange things are happening. The club are struggling to meet the League rules over the wage cap, which has lead to Jermaine McSporran leaving, and Michael Branch has been left out of the team completely, as he’s been told he can leave on financial grounds, so one ex Saddler and another former Walsall target will either have gone, or not be available.

Ashley Westwood (hamstring) is likely to miss out, along with fellow defenders Paul Linwood (knee), Sean Hessey (hamstring) and Phil Bolland (shoulder), while midfielder Dean Bennett (calf) may make the bench. In addition, new signing from Torquay, Glenn Cronin, of whom a lot was expected, has been out with a foot injury since pre-season and they are suffering from other injury problems too.

They are trying to bring in Lincoln winger Ryan Semple on loan (he’s had a medical before signing), with a view to a permanent move in January, but that will, again, take them up to the wage cap limit and he has an injury at the moment which would be likely to stop him playing.

Dangerman? Difficult to say, really, as their problem seems to be scoring goals. If they can free up some funds, a new striker will be their number one priority, as the current collection of the much travelled Drew Broughton (ex Kidderminster and Rushden amongst many others), Blundell, Walters and Holdroyd just isn’t working, with the same number of goals between the four of them as Martin Butler has managed on his own.

As far as Saddlers fans are concerned, the main threat will be probably Roberto Martinez, who scored a cracker against us for Swansea last year and probably thinks he has something to prove to the Bescot faithful.

Predictions?

Chester are currently 14th in the table (ironically, the position occupied by last week’s opponents at the start of that game). They have won 4 and drawn 3 of their twelve games so far, scoring 14 goals in the process. More to the point, their home record is worse than the overall record, as they are in 18th place on home form:-

Played 6, Won 2, Drawn 1, Lost 3, Goals For 5, Goals Against 6, Points 7.

Given a full week’s rest (less a day), after a period of two games a week, given the form shown in the second half last Saturday and given the confidence that must be flowing through the squad, I’m going to go for a narrow away win, especially with Dickie Dosh not having picked up the “Manager of the Month” curse!

The good news is Chester can be an excellent day out, providing fantastic opportunities for a crawl round a mixture of traditional and modern bars. However, the bad news is that there isn’t a pub within 20 minutes walk of the ground, and the club bar has ceased to admit away fans after problems a couple of seasons ago.

Of course the game being on a Friday makes thing even more awkward for those travelling after work. Train travellers are also dumped at the rather grotty station on the outskirts of the city and miles from the ground although there is a “hopper” bus service that takes you into the city centre.

Near the station there are a couple of places worth mentioning. There is a public bar in the Westminster Hotel on the main City Road that is very welcoming to non-residents, although the beer is a bit pricey. If real ale and some food are the priority, then hang a right off City Road towards the City and take in the Union Vaults on Egerton Road followed by the adjacent Mill Hotel around the corner on the canal-side. This is a converted Corn Mill boasting four bars and a barge restaurant, and is welcoming to a wide variety of clientele including families with children.

Anyone suitably amused by miserable, eccentric landlords (similar to old Bill who used to have The Fox, now the Wanderer, next to Molineux) should take themselves to The Albion next to the shopping centre. It’ll probably be shut, as the landlord basically opens when he likes which I find very endearing. On my last visit on a steaming hot June day I was confronted with “button up your shirt please young man” whilst awaiting my pint. Fabulous! Years since I’ve been called a “young man” in any sort of context, so I humbly accepted the 1950’s standards!

For those who like me enjoy living in the slightly more recent past, the pick of the City Centre pubs is the Shropshire Arms on Northgate near the Cathedral. Enjoy real ale and old fashioned table top Galaxians in a 1980’s style.

The City boasts the usual charmless chains, and some of the bar staff and managers can be particularly rude to anyone resembling a football fan, particularly a Walsall fan I find! We tend to be quite unpopular in this neck of the woods for some reason, I always remember school trips to Chester Zoo degenerating into a scene from Quadrophenia when the local school kids realised we were from Walsall, and now 25 years on it would seem most of those kids work for either Wetherspoons or Ultimate Leisure.

Either way if you make it into the City Centre for a drink, or try any of the bars around the station I would definitely recommend a taxi to the ground useful numbers being (01244) 346464 for anyone at the station heading towards the city, i.e. Mill Hotel end. Or (01244) 372372 for anyone in the city centre.

Don’t forget by the way, when standing on the away terrace you are actually in Wales.

The Red Prince’s Addendum

The Red Prince, being currently native to the city, has added the following:-

Further to Geordie’s excellent guide I have one or two other place’s of interest I would like to add. Firstly, if you are coming up through town there are two places to avoid (unless you are wfc_2uk, if you catch my drift) and they are Bar 69, which is just off the A51 entering Chester City Centre, and the other is the very misleading Liverpool Arms on Northgate Street, next to the walls.

Places I can recommend, however, are; The Old Queen’s Head opposite Weatherspoons on Foregate Street, although this may be a little too ‘young’ for the older generation.

If you fancy a bit of quaintness (and some German lager no one has ever heard of), then try the Old Boot Inn on Eastgate Street in the city centre, set back in the Row’s just above Hallmark, it must have the lowest ceiling of any pub in Chester, and dates back several hundred years. It is a haunt for home fans, but usually of the flat cap variety, and I have not heard of trouble there.

Next up, and the closest pub you can get to the ground, is Telford’s Warehouse, just off Raymond Street. Set in a converted warehouse, built by Thomas Telford funnily enough, on the site of the old Shropshire Canal basin, it overhangs the canal and boasts live music on a Friday night, and a good (if a little expensive) selection of food and beverages, however, be warned that the students are back and it may get a little crowded.

If anyone is planning on stopping on after the match, the are only three real nightclubs in Chester namely; RB’s, on the corner of Eastgate and Northgate Street, Brannigans, on the corner of St. John’s Street and Foregate Street, and Revolution, on Foregate Street, just past Weatherspoon’s, none of which I would enthusiastically recommend, for those with exotic tastes, there is the Platinum Lounge, set on the Row’s on Bridge Street.

The Trinidad and Tobago FA have accepted Walsall’s explanation of the position regarding Hector Sam and Clayton Ince.

They had both originally been called up for the International friendlies next week, but the club withdrew first Ince and then Sam, on injury grounds, although both players should be available for Walsall’s away fixture at Chester on Friday night.

Manager Richard Money said:-

“The situation has been explained to their football association and they have accepted it fully. “Clayton has been carrying a thigh injury for most of the season. He has been restricted in his training and in his kicking during matches so there is no way he is up to going away and training and playing international football. The travelling alone would be the last thing he needs. A similar situation exists with Hector Sam. He has picked up an ankle injury.

They are both available to us on Friday. We have just got to hope that they are fit to play.”

Richard Money has been nominated for the manager of the month award for September.

Despite the fact that the Saddlers suffered their only Legue defeat in the month, courtesy of Grimsby Town, the fact that the team have managed to open a small gap between themselves and the rest means that Money was nailed on for the nomination.

His main competition will come from Notts County’s Steve Thompson, Hartlepool manager Danny Wilson and Paul Lambert at Wycombe. Given the usual “curse”, Saddlers will be forgiven for hoping DD doesn’t get it.

The results will be announced on Thursday.

Hector Sam’s performances for Walsall have seen him get a call up to the Trinidad and Tobago International side.

The call has come, ironically, the day after one of his poorer performances for the Saddlers, as he was substituted against Mansfield after struggling to make an impact in the game.

The games are against Nicaragua in Port of Spain on October 7 and back in England against Panama four days later. Walsall are due to play Chester City away on the 6th and Wycombe at home on the 14th.

Ironically, in-form ‘keeper Clayton Ince, who has 6 clean sheets out of six at home this eason, has not made the squad.

Squad: Williams; Charles (Glenavon), Daniel, Gray (both CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh), Jack (Tobago United), Lawrence (Swansea), John (New England Revolution); Baptiste (CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh), Pacheco, Birchall (Coventry), Edwards (Luton); Yorke (Sunderland), Scotland (St Johnstone), Toussaint, Sam (Walsall), John (Coventry), Jones (Southampton).

Of course, you could have a report full of footballing cliches. You know, game of two halves, earning the right to play, etc, but, instead, we’ll leave it as manager Richard Money passed another test yesterday, in how to change things at half time.

Back into the 11 came Roper for Scott ZiDann, as Money decided to give the youngster a rest, and Sam for Bedeau, leaving what seem to be DDs preferred starting XI.

Mansfield’s intentions were obvious from the start, as they lined up in a 4 5 1, designed to try and wrest any midfield control from the home side, or at least prevent chances being made. For the first forty five minutes, they certainly succeeded in that. With them playing a very cautious game and the Saddlers defending superbly as a unit (the number of times the visitors had possession, only to have to end up passing back to the ‘keeper was very noticable), neither side looked like making a break through, as the strikers were starved of decent possession.

The home back four looked extremely comfortable, except for a couple of occasions when Roper and, notably, Gerrard, lost their footing. We looked as punchless, however, as our best moves all seemed to end up putting Mark Wright into good positions and he was having one of his less effective halves.

The talk in the F2G at half time was all about how DD was going to change things. Most seemed to prefer a change in the personnel, with Bedeau for Wright being the most widely held opinion. Certainly, a lot of managers would have been tempted to put more attacking players on, but not Money. As he said in his post match interview, he decided to match Mansfield’s five in the middle and bank on the fact that he was sure his players could out pass their opponents. On came Craig Pead for Hector Sam.

It worked almost immediately. Dobson and Keates started to get more time on the ball and they both blossomed. Wright started to pay with more confidence and get past his man and Pead himself looked all the time to make a better link with the now lone striker.

Mansfield still had the first chance of the half (and almost the match) however, when Ince failed to hold a long range drive, but Roper was first to react. Butler then came close to capitalising on a similar incident at the other end.

After 5 minutes, however, Pead won the ball in the Mansfield half, Butler was slipped in on the right hand side of the area, his pull back found Pead, who hit a tremendous left foot drive, which goalkeeper White could only parry into the path of Mark Wright, who gleefully volleyed home.

The game now started to open out, as the visitors had to show more ambition and Walsall were indebted to Ince another ten or so minutes in, when he went full length to tip a goal bound free kick around the post.

Shortly afterwards, however, Hjelde (not for the first time) gave away a free kick for shirt pulling on Butler, towards the right of the Mansfield penalty area. Keates curled it around the end of the wall and White got there, only to allow the shot to squirm under his body. 2 - 0 and surely safe.

Ince had his weekly “walk about” from one cross, but the ref blew up for a foul in the end and top scorer Hamshaw dragged a shot wide, but Mansfield now looked blown.

With a quarter of an hour to go, some superbly slick passing put Mark Wright in the clear and he produced a cross of sublime quality to find Keates, whose glancing header found the far corner for his fifth of the season and to spark off the chants of “It’s just like watching Brazil”.

On came Bedeau and Demontagnac to replace Fox and Wright, both to look very effective. The dangerous Hamshaw produced another long range effort which Ince did well with, but the scoring was completed by the Saddlers.

Mansfield gave away a clear hand ball on the very edge of the left hand side of their area. Keates, not unaturally, smashed it in low and hard, looking for his hat trick, but Anthony Gerrard got a foot to it to smash it into the roof of the net.

MoM? Keates got the sponsors award for an all action second half and two goals, but Dobson, Butler and Westwood couldn’t have been far behind, as was Pead for his 45 minutes. My vote, however, would probably go to DD for an inspired tactical sustitution.

The only downside was the element in the lower F2G who chanted all through the announcement when they read out the letter of thanks from Matt Gadsby’s widow. Perhaps they ought to wash their ears out and be more aware of what’s going on.