Walsall a different team for Nicholls

Striker Alex Nicholls claims Walsall are a "different team" ahead of their final away game at Carlisle but regrets they haven't shown their true colours earlier.

The 12th-placed Saddlers head to their penultimate game of the season tomorrow knowing they can still sneak into 10th, following a run of just one defeat in six.

Brentford, the current holders of tenth place but just three points ahead, go to Swindon and Milton Keynes Dons in 11th host Brighton as the League One season enters its penultimate round of games.

Last Saturday's 3-1 win over Hartlepool is widely regarded as the best performances of an inconsistent campaign and Nicholls reckons the Saddlers' recent form makes a mockery of some of their no shows this year.

He said: "We look like a different team than we have for the majority of the season. You don't look at it when you're playing but when you sit down at full time and assess it you think 'why can't we have played like that all season?'

"Lots of different factors go into getting results but the lads have got it in them. We can play well enough and there's no reason why we shouldn't have played like that more this season, it's just the way it goes.

"It shows in the players that we feel more confident, the result against Swindon gave everyone a great lift and against Hartlepool the lads were fantastic, full of confidence.

"After those performances, we're confident and there's no reason why can't get a result tomorrow."

But the 22-year-old, who is finishing the season back in the starting line-up, is disappointed the Saddlers haven't found their feet sooner but predicts a big future for the club.

He said: "The squad is very young and you look at the back four, Westy (Darryl Westlake), Netan (Sansara), Clayton (McDonald) and Manny (Smith)– that's a really inexperienced back four.

"Maybe with another year, with older and wiser heads there's no reason why we can't be more consistent. Some of the games this season, where we've dropped points or lost, we should have won.

"Look at the difference in points – we could have been pushing for a play-off spot.

"Without casting your eye too far, because we have two games left, the lads want to do as best they can for the rest of the season and draw a line under it.

"We've been inconsistent, everyone at the club knows that. We'll play well one week and then other we'll be a completely different team.

"It's strange as we're on course to finish the highest we have done since we were relegated from the Championship, it's odd when you look at it like that.

"It shows, if we can erase the inconsistency, the future is bright."

The Saddlers are currently sixth in the form table compared to Carlisle in 18th – giving them the edge in the race for a top 10 spot.

But manager Chris Hutchings expects Carlisle and boss Greg Abbott, whose side are 14th, to be going all out to reel them in.

He said: "Greg has done a decent job up there and they want to finish a bit higher. It's something we want to do and they are around us and are looking to overtake us.

"We're looking to finish with two wins and that's our objective and has been for the last couple of weeks."

Walsall midfielder Dwayne Mattis will be left at home to nurse his sore Achilles, but Hutchings is hopeful Darryl Westlake and Darren Byfield will be back in the squad following ankle and knee complaints respectively.

Mark Hughes is available after his two game suspension, while Rhys Weston will be considered despite a two-day trial with Motherwell this week.

Carlisle are without Danny Livesey, sidelined with a groin injury, but 18-goal top scorer Ian Harte should shake off his own groin complaint.