Analysis from Wycombe 2 Walsall 3

From game to game – and even during – they switch personalities at an alarming rate which will eventually undermine their season.

On Saturday at Wycombe they somehow got a result, after an error strewn performance which suddenly turned into three points. The first 45 minutes were by far their worst of the season, the second merely passable, as the Saddlers demonstrated their alter egos.

It's not like they don't have previous. Too many times this season they have switched from the sublime to the ridiculous.

At Colchester and MK Dons, there were signs of a decent team who were unfortunate to lose against two high flying sides. In their last home game against Exeter an abject opening half an hour gave way to a passable hour.

Games with Swindon, Charlton, Leeds and Gillingham all fall into the same category. The consistency line will inevitably be trotted out again in the coming weeks, but talk is cheap.

How can they reach the play-offs if they are woefully inconsistent while teams at the top continue to string results together?

MK Dons, Colchester and Norwich have all embarked on runs of just one defeat in October while Huddersfield – who complete the play-offs spots – are scoring goals for fun. They are qualties which Walsall can only dream of in their current guise.

Today the Saddlers sit 12th in League One – halfway – with five wins, five draws and five defeats. Manager Chris Hutchings sets high targets, and rightly so, but that target of the play-offs currently looks out of reach.

The season already has a ring of last season's mid-table finish. The Saddlers don't have the resources nor the squad to break into the top six. That was highlighted at Adams Park after a result they were never entitled to.

Had Wycombe been more clinical a humiliating defeat was the only outcome. The Stourbridge scouts, swotting up for the weekend's FA Cup derby, would have liked what they saw.

Play like they did in the first half and the Saddlers will lose at the Glassboys – Stourbridge will play the game of their lives and Walsall must match them. Any victory next week will be met with relief rather than celebration.

They are on a hiding to nothing and the eyes of the nation will be on a cup upset. On Saturday there was no elation. They knew they had used their get out of jail free card. Hutchings was seething at the manner of the performance despite the win.

Goalkeeper Clayton Ince came under fire, following his 14th minute error which allowed Scott Davies to open the scoring. The midfielder doubled the hosts' advantage after 38 minutes, before Steve Jones' introduction for Walsall.

The 33-year-old has already demonstrated superb dignity and professionalism off the field, now the Saddlers are reaping the rewards from his quality on it.

Four goals in his last four games highlight his value and the extra spark he provides gives the team drive and hope. His contribution on Saturday was immense. It was match winning. Without him they flounder, with him they flourish.

He was, understandably, left on the bench after recovering from a virus but was thrust into the action just before the break for the injured Peter Till.

Before then Walsall were abject. Pathetic. No bite, passion or commitment and they were rightly booed off by the travelling fans at half-time. It beggared belief how poor they were. Passes went astray while Wycombe were left to their own devices.

Tommy Doherty and Davies were having a field day. The returning Richard Taundry and the anonymous Mark Bradley were overrun out and outclassed. The hosts had already threatened before Davies' free-kick embarrassed Ince.

The goalkeeper always risks being caught out due to his unique positioning for dead balls and this time Davies' 40-yard effort sailed over him. It was reward for Wycombe's early dominance and they continued to press with the Saddlers disjointed.

So one sided was the game the first-time viewer would have thought it was Walsall, not Wycombe, rooted to the bottom of the table.

Matt Harrold spurned several chances, before Davies rammed in his second from 22-yards after a neat short corner routine. The on-loan Reading midfielder was denied a hat-trick by Mark Hughes' desperate goal-line clearance before the sanctity of the dressing room called.

What was said would neither be repeatable or printable but it obviously resonated – that or the players didn't want a repeat at full-time.

Darren Byfield fired over before Jones started the comeback with a neat finish following a slick move involving Troy Deeney and Matt Richards. Harrold, Matt Phillips and Jon-Paul Pittman all wasted the chance to make the game safe as Walsall, for all their improvement, started to struggle again.

That was until the final 10 minutes. Jones forced Scott Shearer into a fine save and from the resulting corner Hughes finally grabbed a leveller. Improbable but what followed was unbelievable as Jones fed Alex Nicholls to rifle in the winner from an angle.

Smash and grab or daylight robbery, call it what you like but the Saddlers didn't deserve to win. They took their chances and the opposition didn't. Not a phrase we have been able to use too often this season.

The spirit was there for all to see but so were the frailties - now Walsall must work out who they want to be.

By Nick Mashiter