Just 12 months after their ignominious relegation from Division 1, with a team that should have been capable of staying there, the Saddlers are back.

Goals from loanees Kevin Harper and Trevor Benjamin gave Walsall the three points they needed to clinch automatic promotion at Notts County this afternoon, wiping out a goal from Jason Lee, whose team themselves were desperate for the three points in an attempt to get themselves into the play offs.

It doesn’t matter that this was very much a smash and grab raid by the Saddlers, as County had much the better of most of the game, but, once Craig Pead had to be replaced and Manny Smith came on in defense with the score at 1- 1, Walsall were the better side and, once Benjamin had given them the lead, they were able to hold on fairly comfortably, even though the referee added a massive five minutes of stoppage time.

The only downside were injuries to Gerrard and Pead, as that may leave us short in our push for the title, so fans will be waiting anxiously for news, but this is, above all, a night for celebrating.

The Fat Controller decided unconditionally to give his Man of the Match award to Kevin Harper, who was quite magnificent in the first half especially and would also like a mention for Stan P, who he says spent the entire game abusing Trevor Benjamin, up until the moment he got the winner, after which he changed his mind!

The Fat Controller reporting directly from the ground.

The Saddlers got off to a flyer this afternoon, in front of some 2,500 travelling fans, as they attacked Notts County from the start. They took a deserved lead early on, when a Kevin Harper volley was deflected over the ‘keeper and into the back of the net.

From that moment on, however, the Saddlers were pushed further and further back by a Notts County team themselves desperate for the three points in order to maintain their play off push. Both of the Walsall fullbacks, Pead and Fox, have been struggling to cope with their men and Pead’s error finally let in County, for Jason Lee to equalise.

According to the Fat Controller, this is not so much a matter of us playing badly, but of an excellent performance by our opponents, trying to maintain their promotion prospects, although he does say that Pead and Fox have looked very poor. Harper, on the other hand, is on fire.

It’s into the final straight tomorrow. Four games to go, three points needed for automatic promotion and hot on the heels of the leaders, we get to play what passes for a local derby in this division. It’ll be memories of semi final play off victories and David Kelly’s outrageous back heel into the net from 25 yards out and, at the end, the possibility of a celebratory trip home. My God, but it’s good to be a Saddler again!

Walsall do have some injury worries for the game. Ian Roper and Scott Dann will be missing, of course, but there are other problems at the back. Geordie Lyall is still suffering form his ankle knock and is doubtful, while Richard Money is likely to give Allan Picken another reserve match to get fit, given the impressive debut by Mannie Smith last week. It is a delicate judgement, however, as marking the old, experienced and dangerous Jason Lee is a whole new ball game, compared to the somewhat lightweight Hereford strike force. When Lee made his debut, in the dim and distant mists of time, Mannie was probably just moving onto solids from baby milk. He’d have been less than six months old!

In midfield, Kevin Cooper will be available again, having missed out on the last two games with a knee injury, while Troy Deeney will also be hoping to be involved, as Per Cederqvist is doubtful with his back injury

Given that Betrand Bossu will have recovered from the injury that kept him out on Monday, I’d expect a line up of:

Ince, Westwood, Gerrard, Smith, Fox, Harper, Dobson, Keates, Cooper, Butler, Benjamin, with a bench of

Bossu, Wrack, Sam, Deeney and Taylor, Pead, Bradley or Demontagnac.

As for County, they don’t have the same number of injury problems, with midfielder David Pipe their only doubt. They did leave Jason Lee out in their last game, but that was just to rest their aging star. They do have a couple of kids from Charlton on loan who have been impressing, James Walker and Myles Weston, and both could start.

Their dangerman is, of course, Jason Lee. He no longer has a pineapple on his head – in fact it looks more like a billiard ball nowadays – but his 16 goals this season prove that the man still can be a dangerous proposition in front of goal. His 18 yellow cards this season, including one in each of five games on the trot in February and March, show that he’s still an awkward bugger as well!

Predictions?

County go into the game 10th, only three points behind Shrewsbury, who occupy the last play off spot. They are there because of a late run of form, having been unbeaten in their last four games, all without conceding a goal.

A slightly different picture appears when you take their home and away records in isolation, however. They are sixth in the away form table , with a record of 8-6-7, but 16th in the home form table, with, unusually, the same record of won 8, drawn 6, lost 7.

That suggests that the team aren’t at their best at home and, if that is the case, I can’tr think of any teams better at exploiting that than the Saddlers at the moment. I think one point is on the cards and three points far from impossible.

There will also be a minute’s silence before the game for former Notts County star Bill Brindley, who died recently. Despite the party atmosphere, I expect Walsall fans will observe it impeccably, as usual.

We have received a tip-off that Mark, landlord of the Trent Bridge Inn, known to the locals as the “TBI” (right next door to Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, 3-4 minutes from the County ground) -is a Walsall fan, a few of his Walsall fan mates will be visting the pub before the match, but he’d be over the moon if some fellow saddlers were in there before the promotion winning game tomorrow. The pub is on the corner of Radcliffe Road and London Road -there’s loads of street parking near there (on the embankment, near the river).

The great thing about having a Nottingham club in each of the lower divisions is that it doesn’t matter how bad we are, a trip to Hooters is guaranteed. Of course there’s already plenty of info on the message board about this phenomenon of an away pub that has captured the hearts and wallets of many a travelling Saddler over the years, so there’s not really much to add, other than to say that the great thing about Meadow Lane is that its nearer to the bar itself!. From the station simply head straight down Station St. and across London Road and you can’t miss it, the ground is basically just further down London Road.

Generally speaking of course Nottingham is a good day out pub wise, although surprisingly for some reason I always find the Notts trip somewhat more tetchy than that to Forest, and although always worth a visit for real-ale and greasy spoon breakfast, the Cattle Market Inn adjacent to Meadow Lane was somewhat tense last time around with locals objecting to Walsall songs and bouncers looking a bit overwhelmed.

Likewise The Trent Navigation, and The Magpie near the ground are nothing to write home about save for their convenient proximity, but since its refurbishment The Globe is probably the pick of the bunch for variety and atmosphere, and was excellent before The Forest game last season.

Near the Station I’ve always had a soft spot for The Bentinck Hotel, a paragon of 1970’s eccentricity, although in the likelihood you’ll want something a bit more conventional then the Vat and Fiddle (exit left and walk 100 yards) offers real ale from a brewery tap, a plethora of foreign beers and outdoor seating.

If you can tear yourself away from Hooters, or more likely, can’t get in then there is beer for sale within the stadium although the actual supporters club doesn’t admit away fans. For some reason last time I ended up in a Mersonesque windowless bar in the ground with all the players’ wives, but stick to the main concourse for the usual overpriced lager would be my advice!

One question I always ask myself when drinking prior to visiting the oldest club in the world. Who did they used to play??

(I’d add one more to Geordie’s list, by the way, in the shape of the Victoria at Beeston - and I’m not a CAMRA Investements Shareholder. Perfect for a pre or after match meal, it’s quite frankly, one of the top five pubs I’ve ever been in. Web site is:

http://www.victoriabeeston.co.uk/)

A good, attacking display against a determined and resilient Hereford outfit sees the Saddlers tonight just three points away from automatic promotion, as the Franchise lost yet again at Shrewsbury.

Richard Money went for three changes from Saturday, with Harper coming in for Taylor, Wright for Wrack and, more surprisingly, Manny Smith in place of Pead for his full debut, with Westwood moving to full back.

The first half was one of struggle, as Walsall had much of the possession, but failed to break down a Hereford side which was in no hurry to do anything, from as early as the fifth minute! The chances when they came all came to the home side, however.

First Wright failed to control the ball from a left wing cross and, after he was forced to get the ball back over, Benjamin was pulled up for a handball as the ‘keeper pushed his shot over. Kevin Harper then managed to jink his way through, only for Brown to save again.

Harper was then set up for another shooting chance which he put over, then Butler sent Benjamin away down the wing. He put in an absolute piledriver from a narrow angle, which Brown parried and both Dobson and Butler were unlucky not to get on the end of the loose ball.

The Hereford defense then made a terrible gaff to let Butler in, but he shot tamely at the keeper, when Benjamin was clear on the left and Harper on the right.

In the last 10 minutes of the half, Hereford had their best (and only real) period of the game, when Williams had a shot deflected wide and then Webb put a long range effort just past the post, although Ince had it well covered.

The second half started with the home side re-asserting its overall superiority.

First Benjamin was hauled down and the Keates free kick was cleared only to Westwood, who couldn’t get enough power into his side foot effort and Brown saved at the foot of the post.

Darren Wrack then replaced the completely ineffective Mark Wright and another Keates free kick was headed on by Benjamin, for Butler to get a touch and Brown made a fine save to his left.

Purdie then made a break and flashed his shot just wide of the far post in one of the very few scares in the half, before Harper jinked his way into the box yet again and his shot just went wide of the far post, with Benjamin unable to turn his not inconsiderable bulk in time to touch it home.

Hereford then had their one big chance, as, from a long punt from the ‘keeper, the ball was headed on to Williams, but his rising drive was easily held by Ince.

The pressure was beginning to really tell on the Hereford defenders and, as Benjamin tried to burst through, Beckwith was judged to have hauled him down. Last man, red card. Keates took the resulting free kick right on the edge of the box, but the ball just crept over the bar, with Brown rooted to the spot.

With eight minutes to go, Gerrard decided to step up into midfield. As he broke forward, several people round me were shouting to him not to shoot, whatever he did, but he decided to unleash a left foot drive. Fortunately, it was deflected up into the air, there was some head tennis as Benjamin put his weight about, the ball broke to Wrack and his shot seemed to take a deflection off Benjamin. Brown could only parry the ball and it broke straight to Dean Keates, who gleefully blasted it home from around five yards.

DD immediately changed his mind about his intended sub (he had Sam ready to come on) and went for bringing on Taylor for Harper to give us a better shape defensively, although Sam did come on for Benjamin later.

The game them just petered out, with the three points safely in the bag.

Sponsor’s Man of the Match went to Manny Smith, who had a very impressive debut, but I’d go for Dean Keates, as the central midfield functioned beautifully again. Dobson wasn’t far behind, as was Westwood and Gerrard, for his defending, although his distribution was atrocious at time.

Perhaps also a word for Clayton Ince for his 19th clean sheet of the season and the team’s 20th, both of which are club records.

The end is almost in sight.

Whatever Keith Curle and Colin Lee put in the Torquay player’s tea at half time worked, as they dominated the second half possession completely, getting a goal back via Reid. Clayton Ince, however, had a superb half, dominating his box and holding the defense together.

Richard Money even found time to give debuts to Manny Smith in place of Craig Pead, with Westwood moving to full back and to Troy Deeney, who came on in place on Martin Butler.

The Fat Controller reports that both had good debuts, with Smith getting in some important headers and Deeney almost scoring with his first touch, after being out through, only for a defender to just get a tackle in in time.

Despite one or two “hairy” moments, the Fat Controller says that we always just had the edge, despite all the second half possession being in our half, as opposed to the first forty five minutes, when all of the play was in the Torquay half of the field, even though they had more of the ball.

The Fat Controller’s man of the match, after a lot of thought, goes to Dean Keates, for the job the midfield did covering in fron of the defense.

However, this turned out to be a pivotal day in the Walsall promotion campaign, as results elsewhere went our way, with Swindon only getting a point at Hereford (and picking up no fewer than six bookings in the process), while the Franchise crashed 1 - 2 at home to Alan Buckley’s Grimsby and Hartlepool’s long unbeaten run came to an end at Barnet.

With just five games left, we are in second place, two points behind Hartlepool, with Swindon in third, four points behind and the Franchise fourth, a whole seven points behind.

Meanwhile, Richard Money has said that the three absentees, Harper, Cooper and Sam are all likely to be fit for Monday.

Direct from the Fat Controller at Plainmoor.

This has been a stroll in the afternoon sunshine for the Saddlers so far today. Torquay have had plenty of possession, but haven’t looked like breaking Walsall down once, while the boys took two of the three chances presented to them in the first half.

First Kris Taylor, restored to left back, produced a good cross to the far post, where Trevor Benjamin was on hand to nod home his first goal for the club after ten minutes.

Not long afterwards, Benjamin was put through, only to be blatantly pulled back for a nailed on penalty, which Dean Keates duly tucked away.

Late on in the half, Darren Wrack missed a chance he should really have put away. 3 - 0 and it would have been all over. 2 - 0 and it probably is.

Meanwhile, the Franchise are losing at home, Swindon are only drawing and Hartlepool are losing away.

With another game to closely follow today’s. there was always a chance that Richard Money would make some changes for this game, but the ones that he has have come as a bit of a surprise. Granted that Kevin Harper has been suffering from a groin strain for a couple of weeks (he was doubtful for the Accrington game at one point), but both the on-loan Kevins have been left out of the 16. The Saddlers line up:-

Ince, Pead, Gerrard, Westwood, Fox, Wrack, Dobson, Keates, Taylor, Butler, Benjamin.

Youngsters Manny Smith and, most pleasingly, Troy Deeney have made the bench of:

Bossu, Wright, Smith, Bedeau and Deeney.

At one point this season, I was hoping that this weekend would see a nice trip to the seaside and a chance to celebrate automatic promotion at least, if not the Championship. Our dip in form after Christmas, now hopefully over, and the incredible run of form produced by Hartlepool, means that this is going to be another chance to gain three points in the promotion push. It still, however, is a clash with a little more spice added to it than that, with the team up against former boss, Colin Lee.

The club have decided, rightly, to let the team travel down early, so they will have an overnight stay before the game.

Out of the squad are the long term injury absentees Ian Roper and Scott Dann. Two players amongst the possibilities to cover them are also unlikely to appear, as Allan Picken won’t be risked until he’s had another reserve team game and Geordie Lyall picked up an ankle injury in the reserves at Bradford, so may be doubtful.

The other slight problem is up front, where Per Cederqvist injured his back in the reserve clash, so is likely to miss out. With Butler, Sam and Benjamin as first choices, this may just give an opportunity for Troy Deeney to make the bench, after Money took him with the first team squad to Wycombe, with instructions to watch Tommy Mooney’s play carefully.

Tony Bedeau will be hoping to get a chance against his former employers, however, after scoring against Bradford.

The likely line up is:

Ince, Pead, Westwood, Gerrard, Fox, Harper, Dobson, Keates, Cooper, Sam or Benjamin, Butler.

With ex Walsall man Paul Smith out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, the main interest amongst the opposition is, of course, Colin Lee, their Director of Football. Saddlers fans always seem to be evenly split about Lee’s tenure at Bescot, but, whatever the rights and wrongs of the argument, he was Manager at the time of the most successful period in the club’s history. That won’t stop him getting a lively reception, however!

Out of the team injured, other than Smith, are defenders Craig Taylor, who has an Achilles problem, and Matt Villis.

Doubtful are defender Steve Woods, out with a knee injury since the start of last month, and on loan Sheffield United midfielder Lloyd Kerry, who has “picked up” a groin.

As you might expect, they have a host of loan players brought in to try and stop the rot, but the dangerous Marvin Williams has been recalled from his loan spell by Millwall following an injury to Darren Byfield. They have recently taken former player David Graham back on loan from Sheffield Wednesday and he can be a handful. Despite the massive numbers of players brought in and shipped out, by the way, they have still used 7 fewer than we managed last season!

Predictions?

Torquay go into the game a massive seven points short safety. Their home record is appalling, having won just 5 of 20 League games there, but there is a word of warning. They have won their last two at Plainmoor and those wins came against Wycombe and Stockport. That could be a sign that they are improving at last, but, it has to be said, Wycombe have blown up since Christmas and Stockport likewise since breaking that record, so it may not be as significant as it appears. I don’t often stick my neck out, but I’ll go for an away win.