Bescot Banter: Something needs to change at Walsall

We began the week with a defeat to Bolton Wanderers, during which the Reds once again displayed their frustrating ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as, despite Sam Perry's long-range opener, a second-half capitulation saw the Trotters take all three points, continuing their fine spell of form.

Whilst a defeat to the league's best performing team is far from a shock result, especially as we're currently sitting at the foot of the League Two form guide following a string of dreary displays, the manner of the loss is a cause for concern.

Leading via midfielder Perry's first professional goal at the break, the Saddlers went on to concede two goals and saw a man sent off during a second forty-five in which they failed to secure a single shot on target as another all-too-rare opportunity to secure three vital points fell by the wayside.

Fast forward to Tuesday evening and the lengthy run of away games continued with a trip to Roots Hall and a clash with fellow strugglers Southend United, a team whose form had seen them secure eleven points from a possible thirty, a run which far outstripped the Saddlers' spell of just four points from their ten previous outings.

The match itself represented a great opportunity to both return to winning ways and add some much-needed space between the Saddlers and the team sitting atop the relegation zone, especially as the gap has been steadily shrinking over recent weeks and months.

However, despite enjoying a man advantage for over a quarter of the contest, Walsall were lucky to take a point from the match as yet another second-half stagnation saw them fail to produce even a single shot - either on or off target - as the Shrimpers took almost complete control of any attacking endeavour, and really, really should have taken all three points.

As we're seemingly heading for our lowest fourth-tier finish since the record-setting 16th place achieved in 1991, something simply has to change. Be it by adding fresh minds to the coaching contingent, enforcing real change in the way the team prepares for games, or the nuclear option of a complete overhaul, there's no time to waste.

Even as the club continues to work towards the recruitment of a Director of Football, the window in which they may actually be able to help the team avert disaster is quickly disappearing, with the likelihood of closing the stable door long after the horse has bolted being all too real, especially with such a busy fixture schedule ahead.

Along with this weekend's clash with bottom-of-the-table Grimsby Town, the Saddlers have just ten games remaining and, although that gives them thirty points to play for, you'd be hard-pressed to find a fan confident they could secure even a third of those points between now and the end of the campaign.

Of course, it's not all down to Brian Dutton's men, there are several other teams also taking part in the battle at the bottom, and we could well reach the final day of the campaign safe in the knowledge that the team had already secured a place in League Two for another season.

However, if the Saddlers' recent form does indeed continue we may well be in for a far more worrying final few weeks than anybody would have predicted when the season got underway last September.