Walsall 0 Notts County 1 - analysis

Past greats graced the Banks's Stadium again. How Walsall could do with them now.

Last night Colin Harrison, Nick Atthey and Kenny Mower all marked Jimmy Walker's first home game since he became the Saddlers' record appearance holder.

A trio who are synonymous with Walsall, who lived and breathed the club. It was, and still is, in their blood.

The family of the late Colin Taylor were also presented to a half-empty ground at the break – a setting barely fitting for players who amassed a total of 2,027 Walsall appearances.

Neither, though, was the performance they witnessed as Walsall meekly surrendered to Notts County.

The quartet were Saddlers soldiers, befitting the 'legend' tag which is bandied about too freely in an age of contract rebels and mercenaries.

Absence

Taylor scored 190 goals for Walsall; former appearance record holder Harrison served with utter distinction for 19 years while Mower and Atthey are continually remembered with honour and respect.

The current crop – with the exception of Walker – don't have the ingredient which separates them from the also-rans, the figures who slip in and out of the club's history.

Skipper Andy Butler could earn it, as might Jamie Paterson, but the absence of heroes was evident last night.

Walsall missed the players who can make a difference.

Out of the League One drop zone on goal difference ahead of Saturday's crunch trip to Scunthorpe, with the teams locked on 25 points, each game grows with importance.

They should have enough to survive but saying and doing are two different things.

Talk is cheap and Walsall must start becoming as good as their word.

Against County they were sloppy and looked devoid of confidence, especially in an abject first half.

It had started with a guard of honour for Walker – who was later forced off with a hamstring strain – but within three minutes he had been beaten.

And it was again Lee Hughes, the controversial Hughes, who punished the Saddlers – this time with a sexual assault charge hanging over him.

In September it was his goal which led County to their 2-1 win over the Saddlers and last night he was equally as clinical, drilling beyond Walker after latching onto Ben Burgess' flick.

The former Albion striker tested Walker again after 16 minutes after Burgess' strike forced a sprawling save from the veteran keeper.

Walsall barely mustered a response in the opening 20 minutes against a side who were winless in their last eight games. Yet they picked their way through the Saddlers almost at will. A toothless home side failed to mount a meaningful attack and had only Jon Macken's weak strike to show for measly efforts before the striker limped off with a hamstring injury.

They at least began to battle with the visitors and stemmed the early waves of attack but woefully lacked any quality.

The Saddlers looked every inch a struggling team.

David Grof replaced Walker at the break and denied Hughes on the hour after an up-and-under sent the striker clear.

Walsall responded by handed a debut to Stoke loanee Florent Cuvelier and the Belgian midfielder immediately offered a chink of light.

The bright 19-year-old, in his first appearance in English football, hinted at the talent which saw Stoke fight off Manchester City for his signature in 2010.

He helped his new club try to mount a fightback and they were furious after being denied a leveller with 17 minutes remaining.

George Bowerman headed in after Manny Smith jumped with keeper Stuart Nelson – only for referee Dean Whitestone to pull the defender up for a foul.

The decision was harsh, but to lay the blame at the referee's door would paper over the widening cracks.

Walsall need heroes again. It's just a shame the real ones only emerged at half-time.