Anthony Forde: Walsall are up for the cup

The Saddlers season finally has a sense of momentum after back-to-back wins helped them climb the League One table.

They now get a break from league action, starting with Saturday's visit of Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup, before next Wednesday's Johnstone's Paint Trophy Area quarter-final with Sheffield United. And winger Forde is keen to see the good run continue.

"We will approach these games to win them, we won't ease off," he said. "It's very important for us to keep winning and doing things properly because these cup games are just as important.

"We need to focus on these games and hopefully get the wins because it could be exciting after that, depending on who you get in the next round.

"We need to keep our heads down and, obviously, no-one is getting carried away with the two wins.

"There is no reason why we should, so it's about pushing on and concentrating on Saturday."

Forde was restored to the team for Saturday's 2-1 win at Notts County having been dropped from the starting line-up for the previous week's victory over Chesterfield.

The 20-year-old revealed manager Dean Smith took time to explain why he was left out and accepts competition for places is healthy.

"Everyone is back from injury now and that is what we need, everyone needs to be fighting for their place because that helps everyone improve as well," he said.

"In training everyone is really at it and keen to make the team. The manager changed it up against Chesterfield and spoke to me before about that.

"We had been unlucky against Crawley a few days before and he said he wanted to try Cookie (Jordan Cook) out there and explained why he was leaving me out.

"It's understandable but it worked and we got the win. Being back in the team on Saturday and getting the win was important."