Walsall not down at cup exit
Walsall return to league action on Saturday after an unsuccessful attempt to reach the third round of the EDF Intermediate Cup.
Walsall return to league action on Saturday after an unsuccessful attempt to reach the third round of the EDF Intermediate Cup.
Gez Tillott's weakened side were beaten 33-19 by Northamptonshire outfit Ampthill, of Midlands Two East, but the coach was not too despondent.
He has made it clear from the opening day of the season that promotion was all that concerned him and, with his side three points off the leaders and lying in fourth place in Midlands Two West, his side is still on target to achieve their season's main goal.
Their title challenge gets back on track at Cheltenham North, a side who have failed to live up to their lofty expectations so far this season.
Worryingly for Walsall, when playing away from Delves Road, so have they.
Tillott said: "They are a good side by all accounts, but their results have not reflected that.
"We are taking the game very seriously because it is hugely important to our season."
Such has been the inadequacy of Walsall's away performances that for the first time this campaign the Delves Road side will travel together in a coach in an attempt to changes their fortunes.
More likely to be of relevance, talisman fly-half Matt Wood will also return to his starting berth at Walsall's helm, allowing Chris Mould and Andy Turner to return to full-back and the wing, respectively.
Walsall will hope their normally clinical lineout will be functioning like they know it can.
It was sorely deficient against Ampthill - but a malfunction that Tillott is attributing to nothing more than blip.
With North being a relatively small but robust outfit, he sees the set-piece as an area where his side can dominate.
"We had personnel missing in key areas against Ampthill and although we wanted to win the game we knew that we did not have a big enough squad to compete in two competitions."
Ironically Walsall's first try came from a lineout, when Ian Langford – not the first time this season – latched on to the end of a catch and drive.
Turner, playing at full-back as Mould had move up to replace Wood at 10, scored the second with a scintillating break from the halfway line before wing Tom Eames crossed for a third.
• The Myrtle Greens, meanwhile, enjoyed a rare weekend away from league action and used the break to recharge their batteries.
Lichfield are currently second on points difference in Midlands Two West with promotion a real possibility if they can get through to January unscathed.
This Saturday sees near neighbours Burton, traditionally a strong forward-orientated side, visiting Cooke Fields.
The local rivals are currently fifth but lost to Loughborough Students – top of Midlands One – by a significant margin at the weekend in the Intermediate Cup.
