Southend v Walsall: Saddlers striving to start winning streak

After last Saturday’s clash with Mansfield was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, the Saddlers will arrive in Essex having enjoyed a two-week break since their last game.

That match saw them walk away from Port Vale with a 3-1 victory, their first win in six games.

Walsall still sit only five points adrift of the top seven – 12th in the league – and Clarke knows a run of good form can help them leapfrog the teams around them.

When asked if Walsall should be on more points this season, Clarke said: “It’s all ifs, buts and maybes. If we stick two penalties in we’ve added six points to our total.

“You can’t keep going back and looking at those opportunities missed. We can only look at these next 21 games and try and get as many points as we possibly can.

“It’s a very tight table. A good run of winning form puts you in the top seven and then every picture changes.

“But there’s a lot of clubs that can say that at the minute.

“It’s always good to get on the training pitch and get working away with the lads.

“With the bad weather this winter and last winter we’re getting to close to nine months of me here as a manager where we haven’t got a full-sized grass pitch.

“We’re privileged that we have a full-size 4G on the side of the stadium that we use – we don’t want to go on the pitch and damage it.

“Getting a full week on the training pitch is always beneficial.”

After the transfer deadline day deals on Monday Walsall will field a changed squad tomorrow.

Zak Jules and Elijah Adebayo have moved on and their places are now up for grabs.

Max Melbourne came in on loan as a Jules replacement and will battle with Callum Cockerill-Mollett for the left-back position.

The Lincoln loanee could come straight into the team, with Cockerill-Mollett’s opportunities limited this season.

With Adebayo gone, Josh Gordon will no doubt be keen to play as a central striker, while Caolan Lavery will be hopeful of his first start since November.

Derick Osei Yaw came in on loan from Oxford as Adebayo’s replacement and will want some minutes to impress.

However, young striker Jayden Reid – who joined on loan from Birmingham earlier in the month – will want to make his first Saddlers appearance.

“I have had a really good first week here,” Reid said.

“The boys have helped me settle in well. I have spoke to the gaffer and his assistant and it has been really good.

“During the first week it has been all about meeting the standards and how you apply yourself and making sure you fit in.

“You’ve got to make sure you’re mixing in with the boys and that you’re working hard for the team.

“Coming in, you have got to be prepared for anything because that’s football at the end of the day.

“I’m looking to help the team win games first of all and I can do that by getting goals and assists. I hope that we can make the play-offs and continue to push as much as possible.

“The gaffer is looking to get the best possible player out of me that he can. He wants me to have an impact on the team and he is doing that by putting confidence in me and encouraging me. It’s good to know that they are backing me as a young player.”

Manager Clarke is coy with injury details ahead of games so it remains to be seen whether Jack Rose and James Clarke will return for tomorrow’s clash. Rory Holden is still expected to miss out.