Yeovil 1 Walsall 3 - analysis
Whisper it quietly but Walsall are starting to make some noise.
Whisper it quietly but Walsall are starting to make some noise.
A performance of attrition, interspersed with moments of quality, was enough to secure the points at Yeovil as the Saddlers moved to within a point of the League One play-offs last night.
A gritty, determined effort – with goals from Darren Byfield, Steve Jones and Sam Parkin – inched them up to seventh.
But, despite all this, the message from Saddlers HQ is one of caution.
Perhaps they've had a history lesson.
Two years ago Walsall were level on points with Doncaster and Brighton as the trio fought it out for sixth place in League One.
After that, it all went a little pear-shaped as Scott Dann and Dan Fox departed.
Fast forward 24 months and many would be forgiven for thinking it was déjà vu as the Saddlers make strides up the table.
But there is the lingering worry it could all fall apart in January.
Within a month the futures of Manny Smith and Byfield – among others – will be up for debate.
Do you gamble or stick with what's in the box? In this case, the box contains the key men.
Gambling with the family silver hasn't worked in the past and Smith is fast becoming a jewel.
Links to Albion and Nottingham Forest have surfaced but a move would be too soon for the former trainee who has only amassed 52 senior appearances.
There is still work to be done but he has emerged as key to the whole season.
Ditto Byfield. With his contract up next month it's a match made in heaven between player and club. His sixth of the season after just five minutes was superbly taken and his never say die attitude is infectious.
It is his – and Steve Jones' form – which has helped catapult their club to the brink of the play-offs.
Boss Chris Hutchings named an unchanged line up despite his anger over the FA Cup exit at Brentford on Saturday and it was the visitors who started brightly as Byfield skidded a 25-yarder just wide after 90 seconds.
A minute later Deeney almost capitalised on a mix up between Terrell Forbes and keeper Alex McCarthy to lob over the bar.
But they didn't have to wait long for an opener as the Saddlers picked off their hosts after five minutes.
Jones was given the freedom of the right flank to cross for the unmarked Byfield to nod in from five yards.
Yeovil responded with Scott Murray stinging Ince's palms on 19 minutes.
But 45 seconds later Walsall doubled their lead when Deeney crossed for Jones to glance a header into the top corner for his ninth goal of the season.
The hosts pulled a goal back on the half hour when Murray crossed for Jon Obika to convert at the second time of asking.
It was a different more purposeful Yeovil who emerged after the break.
Mark Hughes made a goal-saving tackle on Obika and the visitors escaped a huge penalty shout when Mason was bundled over just after the hour.
Shaun MacDonald tested Ince as the game entered its final moments before the visitors made it safe in the 89th minute when Parkin converted Alex Nicholls' cross.
By Nick Mashiter.
