Chris Hutchings makes vow to fight

Walsall manager Chris Hutchings has vowed to "come out fighting" as he prepares to face his critics.

The Saddlers boss is under fire from angry fans after just one win in the last 13 League One games left the club rock bottom - eight points adrift of safety.

They host Carlisle tomorrow after supporters vented their frustrations during Tuesday's 2-0 FA Cup win over Fleetwood at the Banks's Stadium.

Hutchings is set to run the gauntlet again but insisted he won't let the jibes stop him from trying to save the Saddlers' season.

He said: "I'm strong-minded. I want to get through it. I'm a fighter and my assistant Martin O'Connor is a fighter.

"If you back us into a corner we'll roll our sleeves up and come out fighting.

"We all have to row in the same direction to get out of it."

But the manager, without the injured Darren Byfield and suspended Ryan McGivern, knows his players could be affected by the difficult situation and atmosphere on home soil.

Hutchings said: "It's the situation we're in and we have to get through it," he said. "You have to have mental strength to go out and play in front of people, otherwise what's the point of going out there?

"Some of the players have played in front of big crowds and they know what to expect and they've got to deliver.

"Confidence is a big thing in any sport and it does affect you at times."

The Saddlers, who have scored just 15 goals in League One - the lowest in the division - face a Carlisle team with the third best defence in the league.

But Hutchings refused to pin the blame solely on his strikers and insisted the whole team must take responsibility.

He said: "You need to score goals to win games but you need to keep clean sheets at the other end.

"Take the Peterborough game, how many shots did we have and we got beaten because we made mistakes?"