The current bad run officially turned into a slump last night, with a home defeat to Lincoln City, who closed to within two points of the Saddlers in the process. It wouldn’t have been so bad, if not for the fact we played better than in recent home games in the second half and that both goals were self inflicted.

The Saddlers lined up: Ince Pead, Roper, Westwood,Taylor, Wright, Dobson, Keates, Fox, Butler and Sam.

The game started in an even way, but with Lincoln, if anyone, having the slight edge, as Jamie Forrester’s replacement, Forest loanee Weir-Daley, gave the Walsall defence real problems with his pace. There were no real chances for either side, however, as they sparred for possession until a mad couple of minutes around the quarter of an hour mark.

First Chris Westwood, out in the left back position, played the ball inside to Dobson, who had a man right on his back. He lost possession and Frecklington found Weir-Daley, who slotted the ball just inside Ince’s left hand post. Terrible pass, terrible defending.

Within a minute, however, a ball was floated into the box to find Hector Sam, running right to left away from goal and he, somehow, turned and shot left footed just inside the keeper’s left hand post. Excellent finish.

Walsall were still second to most things in midfield, with Dobson, especially, seemingly unable to find a man, Keates being completely anonymous, Wright being powderpuff (I could have marked him first half) and Fox and Taylor looking completely out of sorts and contributing little. Despite that, and a Pead tackle on 20 minutes looking a nailed on penalty from my angle, Walsall still contrived to make the slightly better chances.

Sam was unlucky when Marriott just managed to fingertip away one shot and Fox and Butler (twice) went close.

With the Saddlers starting to get on top, however, with five minutes to go, Dobson tried a cross field ball in the opposition half, only to pass straight to a Lincoln player. They broke and the ball arrived at the feet of Weir-Daley, who scored an identical goal to his first, from an identical spot. Dobson at fault, but, from ten yards outside their area, we should have defended the break better.

Changes had to be made and Money decided to take off Dobson for Dann, to release Pead to play in midfield. To be honest, any of the midfield four could have gone, but Dobson had been having a poor game.

Immediately, Pead added far more energy to the midfield and the Saddlers got on top, helped in no small measure by Weir-Daley, the main threat in the first half, vanishing into his shell.

Butler was the first to have a chance, only to shoot tamely. Then Sam won a great flick on and Marriott saved at the second attempt from Butler, although he might have done better.

More changes were made as Cederqvist came on for Sam (although it might seem sacrilege, I thought he took off the wrong striker) and Wrack for Taylor (Fox moving to left back).

Cederqvist started to make a nuisance of himself and he ball fell to Pead on the edge of the box, only for Marriott to make a superb save from his piledriver. It was a save of the very highest quality.

Then Cederqvist again caused panic in the Lincoln defence, the ball fell to Scott Dann and his shot from 6 yards was well saved by Marriott right on the line.

After that, in the last five minutes and injury time, the pace started to fall, after the effort that had been put in, and Lincoln held on.

Money has said more than once that he thinks the squad is good enough, but this team last night looked like one in need of freshening up. If he has a couple of loan players in mind, this is the time to bring them in, as the need for midfield and wide man reinforcements was obvious last night. Dobson had a poor game before he was taken off, Keates barely got a tackle in all night and his passing was wayward too, while there was little or no threat down either flank.

Man of the Match went to Pead, but I thought the excellent Hector Sam just shaded it from him. They were easily the pick of the outfield players, followed by Scott Dann.