Pictures and analysis of Walsall 3 Shrewsbury 1

Walsall's dream remains and now is the time to find out if it can become a reality.

A dramatic season continues to take the path less travelled after a 3-1 derby win underlined the Saddlers' play-off credentials.

Another point gained on those faltering above them, another win and another chance to turn those hopes into something real.

Sitting eighth, five points behind the play-offs, Walsall are struggling to play down their challenge which will come to a head this week.

The double-header with play-off rivals Swindon and a faltering Tranmere will determine if the Saddlers can crack the top six.

Victories on Saturday and next Tuesday could send them into the play-off spots while defeats will almost certainly kill off a valiant challenge which has unexpectedly sprung from the depths.

Walsall still have to play five of the seven sides above them – three at home – meaning their destiny remains in their hands.

It is a fate which remained on course on Saturday after Shrewsbury were brushed aside with a dismissive wave, symptomatic of a team on the warpath and on the charge.

Not as classy as last Tuesday's win at Carlisle, but just as emphatic as Walsall racked up a 10th win from 14 games.

It has put them in an unfamiliar, but extremely welcome, position which few thought possible at the start of the year.

Merely talking about the play-offs is a sign of how dramatically the season has changed. The 1-0 defeat at Shrewsbury in October epitomised the Saddlers during their 13-match winless league run which looked like dragging them into another relegation scrap.

Luckless, they dominated for long spells and wasted chances galore before extending the barren streak.

Fast-forward five months and Shrewsbury have relegation worries while Walsall need only concern themselves with the play-offs.

And Will Grigg is a prime example of the improvement after hitting his 16th goal of a standout season.

A double blast made it five in two games and leaves him on the brink of becoming the first Walsall player to break the 20-goal barrier since Jorge Leitao in 2001.

In the last 20 years it is a feat only achieved six times and would be a mark of the Northern Ireland international's progress.

Just four goals last season raised questions about the striker's abilities, but now the biggest concerns are whether the Saddlers can keep the red-hot hitman.

Contract talks remain on-going and Grigg has expressed a desire to stay with boss Dean Smith insisting he needs to remain at the Banks's for the good of his career.

Goalscorers, though, remain a premium and while Grigg has 24 goals in 102 games – 16 of them this season – he will be attracting interest after coming of age.

Workrate is being matched by goals and his efforts have spearheaded this promotion charge which is reuniting a once fractured club.

The biggest crowd of the season roared them on to revenge which was never in doubt for the unchanged hosts.

Andy Taylor's early drive was stopped by Chris Weale but while the Saddlers were dominant, they needed a spark from Febian Brandy to break the deadlock.

The forward skipped into the area and his run was halted unfairly by Rob Edwards and Darren Jones with Grigg firing home the resulting penalty.

From then it was easy street. Comfortable in possession and steely without it, the Saddlers almost claimed a second minutes later when Edwards scrambled Grigg's shot off the line. But they didn't need to wait long after the break to double their lead.

Craig Westcarr bundled in just 80 seconds after the re-start for his first Walsall goal when Weale palmed James Chambers' cross skywards.

The underemployed Aaron McCarey then maintained the Saddlers' two-goal advantage with a fine fingertip save from Paul Parry before the floodgates threatened to open.

Grigg buried his second on 54 minutes to seal the gaame after Adam Chambers bulldozed his way through.

Walsall relaxed, though, and failed to add more to a game which threatened to turn into a derby demolition.

As an attacking threat the Shrewsbury were blunt but they still caused a few late worries when Dave McAllister headed in with 14 minutes remaining.

Marvin Morgan then had a goal disallowed for offside but the Saddlers need not have worried.

There are bigger challenges to come.

By Nick Mashiter