Colchester are this week’s league guests at the Banks’s and Hutch and the lads are hoping that they won’t find the going as easy as Chesterfield appeared to on Tuesday. Still, this is the league, not a cup knockout, so there’s everything to play for points-wise.

Colchester are only one league place above us, on goal difference, but unbeaten so far, with three draws and a win (Rochdale) under their belts. A quick trawl of the internet reveals precious little about John Ward’s boys, as their official site is slower and worse than ours, with it’s full quota of betting adverts and a promo for a Bee Gees Tribute Night (snigger).

Hutch will probably send out the side that started on Tuesday, although there may be some temptation to tinker with our two-goals-a-game defence a little.

So, with Colcehseter scoring against everyone they’ve played except Sunderland, and us finding the net against everyone except Trampmere, there should be plenty of action this weekend.

It’s at the usual time, in the usual place, and the lads could do with some good support and noise, so get yourselves down there. Don’t forget Midland Bus will be running the usual Saturday Special if you fancy a pint before the game, and they’ll pick up (and drop off!) at the Town Centre, making it easy for you.

I’m picking a 3-2 win, one substition (80 minutes) and no red cards.

Walsall turned up for this auspicious game fielding one of the weakest teams ever sent onto the pitch at the Banks’s for Chesterfield’s cup final tonight.

The plan to gift the match to the opposition kicked off to an excellent start once Walsall got over their early nerves and stopped passing the ball as neatly as they could. Chesterfield picked up on what was going on fast enough, and the ball found the back of the net courtesy of the absence of two central defenders and a teflon-coated goalkeeper. 1-0 Chesterfield thanks to Bowery.

Unfortunately a spanner was thrown in the works within six minutes as Reid mistakenly found the net as he tried to play his shot into Row Z. Teams level. 1-1.

The game see-sawed as Walsall contrived to perform to the worst of it’s abilities, and finally managed to gift Chesterfield another goal when Brain cunningly missed a save at his near post from Dean Morgan. 2-1 Chesterfield.

As half time loomed there was no further action, and Hutchings took the opportunity at the interval to pull off the experienced Taundry in favour of youngster Jamie Paterson, making his first appearance in front of the faithful. This bold move might have backfired as Paterson immediately started to look useful, but luckily the rest of the team managed to make up for his efforts.

Unfortunately Chesterfield were unable to find a way through the packed Walsall defence and the scoreline remained 2-1. Not wishing to take any chances, Hutchings wasted a few minutes by swapping one centre-half for another in order to chase the game in true Walsall fashion. The referee finally put Chesterfield out of their misery after three minutes of stoppage time.

So, all in all, a great cup final for Chesterfield in front of a record crowd at the Banks’s's Stadium. Record low, that is.

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Chesterfield visit for the tinpot game on tuesday night, bringing with them old friend Dwayne Mattis. It’s one of those games where it’s anybody’s guess as to the team and the result, but regardless, if you get yourself down to the Banks’s's it’ll only cost you a tenner to support the lads / wear a yellow T-Shirt / stay in the bar / snooze in the library stand.

While Chesterfield have the slight edge on our league meetings (27 wins to our 26), they’ve never beaten us in a cup match. let’s not change that statistic, eh? Turn up to support the team and fly the flag for Walsall.

What was a promising start ended up being a false dawn, as Alex Nicholls was the sacrificial lamb at Brighton this time round, and Walsall ended up going down 2-1. Macken, off the bench, for our late consolation prize.

Neil’s off on his hols, so you have to suffer an Exile preview from the wrong side of the planet, sorry.

REMINDER – THIS IS AN ALL TICKET GAME.

On to the team. Looks like the injured list is as at the beginning of the week with nobody recovered enough to feature, so we won’t be seeing Jones Byfield and Macken featuring up front. Behind them it’s all situation normal so expect the same team featured as last week. I’d be tempted to use Grigg from the 60 minute mark as an alternative outlet if thing’s look tight.

Brighton haven’t got a first choice keeper as Brezovan is still sidelined, Navarro is crocked, Sparrow and Greer are suspended (already?) so already they’re in the wars and unsettled.

When asked about Walsall, manager Gus Poyet boasted:

We know what they’re going to do, how they’re going to play. We know everything about them

Really, Gus?

Predictions? Withdean’s a dump, it’s next to impossible to see the game, it’s all ticket, the park and ride is a rip-off but still Saddlers enjoy this awayday. We’ve been on the end of some tonkings over the years but have dished out some of our own. With the sides not recording a 0-0 draw since 1948 I’ll go for that, although I’d fancy a smash and grab at the death for a 1-0 away victory.

The Saddlers produced a display at the Banks’s this afternoon, every bit as good as the one against the Franchise was abject as they came from behind to deservedly beat Plymouth 2 -1. The outstanding contributions were from the two centre backs, Smith and Lancashire, the Man of the Match and scorer of the second goal, Reuben Reid, and an unrecognisably excellent Matt Richards. Jones and Gray also looked very dangerous, Jones having his full back on toast until going off with what looked like a serious knee injury just before half time.

The most pleasing feature of the game for me was the fact that we were prepared to pass the ball properly and to feet, to the extent that we looked really, really neat at times. Two good goals as well, the first a beautifully placed header back across the keeper ito the top far corner by Marshall, on for Jones, froma pin point cross from Gray, the second the result of yet another powerful run and shot from the impressive Reid.

Cannock’s reaction was very similar to mine:

“That was fantastic. It’s what i want from a Saturday afternoon. Excitement, passion and good attacking football. What a brilliant afternoon. Any more games like this with the same effort and commitment i will be looking to get another season ticket. I’ve not been so enthralled since the Graydon years. Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant.

Reid was awesome and what we’ve been missing since Rambo, Leitao. As for Richards, i will eat my words as he had a blinder today. Six times i screamed “well done Richards” and that is highly unusual for me.

Really enjoyed it, got the buzz back. Fantastic.

Roll on the next one.

Well done one and all”

Plymouth – now there’s a team that’s had a funny start. Under new Manager and “old stager” Peter Reid, they opened the season with a 1 – 0 win at Southampton (very much not to be sneezed at), but then promptly lost at home to Notts County in the League Cup and drew at home to Carlisle in their second League game. A mixed start indeed.

What has to be said, however, is that they should have the resources to get out of this Division, as long as their gates hold up – the Carlisle gate being 7,700 with, I’d have thought, not many away fans making the 780 mile round trip! Ah well, that’s football for you.

Chris Hutchings, of course, will have relative luxury to choose from this weekend – except in midfield, perhaps – with the arrival of Jon Macken and Reuben Reid. Whether either or both will start depends largely on Byfield’s fitness, as he is having problems with his achilles. If Macken does start, of course, we will have to make allowances for the fact he hasn’t had a pre-season, although that won’t stop some people writing him off if he doesn’t get a hat trick!

The intriguing thing about Reid’s signing is what it bodes formation wise. He is very suited to playing in a 4 3 3, so that may become more likely, but, whether it’s a 4 4 2 or a 4 4 3, either Gray or Jones will miss out if Reid plays (more than likely to happen with a loan signing) and that’s not likely to go down well (unless, of course, he intends to play one of them in the “3”). A lot of choices for the man to make, then.

As for Plymouth, they’ve had massive disruption with their relegation. Out have gone Jamie Mackie (QPR, undisclosed), Lloyd Saxton (Bradford, free), David McNamee (released), Yoann Folly (Aberdeen, free), Simon Walton (Sheffield United, loan), Ashley Barnes (Brighton, undisclosed), Alan Gow (released), Gary Sawyer (Bristol Rovers, free) and George Donnelly (Stockport, loan). In have come Rory Patterson (Glentoran, signed), Bondz N’Gala (West Ham, free), and Anton Peterlin (unattached, free). They are still an example of how the other half live, though, as their squad numbers 29!

Men to watch.

Midfielder Carl Fletcher, once of West Ham, is a big influence on the team, but they do also have the blistering pace of the lesser of the two brothers, Bradley Wright Phillips.

Saddlers will be waiting to see the son of former favourite, Kevin Summerfield, Luke, scorer of the winner at St Mary’s.

Predictions?

If you are going to play relegated teams, the time to do so is early on, while they are still adjusting to life in a lower Division. Plymouth’s opening day win at Southampton shows that they are dangerous, though. Following the confidence boost of our win at Brentford last week, I’d still hope for a home win here!

A double signing day for the Saddlers today, as Jon Macken and Reuben Reid were bought in to strengthen the squad.

Macken’s will be a familiar name to many, having started as a trainee at Old Trafford. In 1997, he went from there to Preston, where he scored 74 goals in 188 starts and 41 sub appearances. That bought him to the attention of Manchester City, who paid £5 million for his services.

There he scored just 12 goals in 31 starts and another 28 sub appearances, before moving on to Palace, Ipswich, Derby and, finally, Barnsley.

He’s 5 foot 11 and is a full Irish International, with just 1 cap.

Reuben Reid was a trainee at Plymouth and did the rounds on loan at various lower league clubs learning his trade. He has spells at Kidderminster, Rochdale, Torquay and Wycombe before moving to Brentford and Rotherham. His spell at Rotherham was the most successful, as he scored 19 goals in 51 games, leading to the Albion signing him in 2009.

He’s 6 foot, quick and powerful, with the ability to play on the flanks or up front. He’s on loan for five months, until January. If he makes an appearance on Saturday, he will, of course, be making his debut against his first club

A surprising (to this Saddler at least) away victory at Brentford will restore some fans faith in this season’s team after the unfancied Nicholls and Gray scored the goals.

Zece was at the match:

Just got back, cracking day, cracking result and cracking atmosphere considering we only took less than 130!!!

That report is about right for the first 10 minutes as we couldn’t even think if their keeper even touched the ball, then Nicholls pulls off a lovely flick over the keeper from an angle to open the scoring!

Was end to end after that for a while and we we’re playing pretty well until they scored theirs which was an odd goal. Ball came in and Lescott and Alexander headered it and Brain pulled off a tv save but he was trying to catch it with both hands and it was like he just didn’t put the effort in to actually keep it and it kind of pulled him into the goal!!! Oddly described but there you go!

2nd half was a lot better and the goal came from Byfield turning their defence inside out and crossed it to a near enough unmarked grey just by the post who smacked it into the tightest of places.

After that it was all them, attack after attack and they had a free kick a few minutes before the end… and Brain pulled off the save of the season to which he probably had no idea himself how he saved it (off his foot as he was going the other way!) The resulting corner they hit the post… to which it was pretty much all over then!

So overall, a lot lot better performance wise, squeeky bum time for the last 15 but very happy! Uts!

Well done the lads. Brentford were less than charitable on their own website:sour grapes all round.

Good result, but are we now playoff contenders?

In this week’s column in the Advertiser, I said that this season is in danger of going downhill rapidly. Our next four fixtures are a tough prospect with improving Brentford and Brighton away and promotion candidates Plymouth and Colchester at home. The first of those games comes tomorrow, with a far from easy trip to the Smoke and, it would seem, still no new faces on board. The team has to improve massively if this start isn’t going to turn into a disaster.

Ryan McGivern will return to the line up, having been missing on Tuesday on International duty. That means we have a full strength line up to choose from.

That, in turn, leads to the obvious question of whether Hutchings will stick to the same team, or make some changes (other than the obvious one of Lescott back to right back and McGivern in, with Westlake dropping to the bench).

I might be starting to sound like a stuck record, but I would go for strengthening the midfield, which has looked very weak so far, even if it means playing with one striker.

Brentford went down in their opening day fixture too, with a defeat at Carlisle, but went some way towards atoning for that when they beat Cheltenham at home in the League Cup on Tuesday (what does the second round look like, again?).
They have seen lots of changes in the close season and have bought in Nicky Forster (Brighton, free), Toumani Diagouraga (Peterborough, undisclosed), Craig Woodman (Wycombe, undisclosed), Richard Lee (Watford, free), David McCracken (MK Dons, signed), Simon Royce (Gillingham, free), Kirk Hudson (Aldershot), Mark Spillane (Norwich, undisclosed)
Out have gone Nikki Bull, Danny Foster, Ben Strevens, Alan Bennett (all Wycombe, free), Ryan Dickson (Southampton, free), Cleveland Taylor (St Johnstone, free)
Since then, they have also acquired two more strikers, in the shape of Robbie Simpson, on loan from Huddersfield and a scorer already, and Gary Alexander from Millwall, scorer of two against us at the New Den the season before last. That gives them to choose from, Carl Cort, Nicky Forster, Simpson and Alexander. Makes us look a little weak up front!

Fortunately, they may be without the dangerous winger, Myles Weston, who will need a late fitness test.

Predictions?

I haven’t got a clue. Play like we did last Saturday and we’ll get tonked, that’s all I know.