Walsall have today learned they will be getting another £10,000 present this New Year, after the promotion showdown with the Franchise was chosen for TV coverage.

The Saddlers game at the National Hockey Stadium being chosen by Sky means that the club will get at least £70,000 in the second half of the season, as it will be their third League appearance on the box this season, at the rate of £30,000 for each home game and £10,000 for the away fixture. Let’s hope that the windfall goes towards team building.

The match has been moved from March 24 to 4pm on March 25.

The second half was always going to be a more difficult proposition, as Keith Alexander’s men were going to try and throw more and more at us. However, the team was outstanding in defence and were rarely troubled.

Ince made one good save in the second half, but Westwood, Dann, Taylor and the outstanding Ian Roper, being given excellent protection by the midfield, looked as solid as a rock in the main, as the Saddlers completed what may have been their best away performance of the season.

The whole side worked well together, in a return to the sort of form we had been expecting at the start of the season and we even managed to work an opportunity for Tony Bedeau, who was thwarted by the keeper in a one on one and Butler could also have scored right at the death.

Roper, Dann, Westwood (especially) and Butler all had superb games, with Pead, Fox and Sam not far behind. The Fat Controller’s Man of the Match award, however, goes to Michael Dobson. Playing just in front of the back four, he got his foot or his head in time and time again to break things up and used the ball well when he did get it.

Even the Peterborough Official Site had to admit just how easy a win this was for the Saddlers, saying:

“Walsall eased to three points with a comfortable display at London Road against a lacklustre Peterborough United who were poor throughout with the supporters booing the side off at the death”.

MK Dons even lost at home to Swindon, Lincoln lost and Wycombe only drew. Pinch me and wake me up!

What you need after a set back at home, it’s a decent response in the next game. This was certainly it, as both full backs took a hand.

The Fat Controller says that Danny Fox was the first to take a hand, hitting home a sublime free kick from 25 yards, which was so good that the ‘keeper didn’t even bother trying to reach it.

Chris Westwood then decided that anything that Fox could do, he could follow, when a well worked free kick from Dobson was headed down by Fox and Westwood hooked home the ball from the edge of the area with his left foot.

Butler and Sam have been superb up front, with great interlinking and movement, as they did at the start of the season, Dobson has been immense in the centre midfield and Pead not far behind him.

The defence has been solid in the face of some pressure from a lively forward line, but has held up well, while Ince has made one great save.

The Fat Controller says that this is more than deserved and has probably been our best 45 minutes of the season away from home.

The only down side is an silly booking for Fox (kicking the ball away), which means he will now be suspended fro one game.

On top of everything else, MK Dons are losing.

Skipper Michael Dobson was passed fit, despite his head wound on Saturday, so Richard Money has gone with a completely unchanged 16.

Ince, Westwood, Roper, Dann, Taylor, Wright, Dobson, Pead, Fox, Butler, Sam.

Gavin Strachan will make his debut for Posh. He has come in on loan, so is allowed to, whilst Walsall cannot play Par Cederquist or Geordie Lyall thanks to FA red tape.