Bescot Banter: Walsall win would go a long way

After enjoying a run that saw them build a welcome gap over the relegation zone and all but secure their place in the fourth tier, Walsall have gone on to lose two times in as many games, and appear to have returned to their old ways.

Almost incapable of finding the back of the net, and all-too-happy to afford their opponents the freedom of the penalty area, the Reds have returned to the performance levels which saw them lose seven times in a row, and look to have forgotten all of the progress they'd made over recent weeks.

Going into last weekend's meeting with Leyton Orient on the back of a slip away to Salford City, the Saddlers went on to enter one of, if not the, worst performance of the season as they created just one shot on target on the way to a two-goal defeat.

Yet more defensive lapses and an all-round lack of attacking endeavour took us right back to the team which looked to be heading straight to the National League just a few weeks ago, and, whilst a visit to the Vanarama is now highly unlikely, the players can't be allowed to slope through the final few games of the campaign.

Back to the match itself and if anything, the result flattered the Saddlers as goals from Harry Smith and former Red Otis Khan were more than enough for the visitors to secure the win and with it all three points, helping them to climb closer to the top half of the table and rebound from a surprise defeat to relegation-threatened Oldham Athletic.

Following a performance like that, it was refreshing to hear Head Coach Michael Flynn refusing to downplay his frustration with the former Newport County boss going as far to say some of the team are playing their way out of contention, and possibly out of the club as a whole.

With just a handful of games remaining before the end of the season some of the current crop are within just a few short months of the end of their contracts and, based upon the season as a whole, simply don't deserve to be offered an extended stay at Fortress Bescot.

Along with their soon-to-be out-of-contract colleagues, there are plenty of players who will be under contract next season that could also find themselves on the outside looking in when we reach the summer break, after all, we can't afford to carry any passengers if we are to make any sort of impact upon the top-half of the table in the not-too-distant future.

With all that being said, a return to winning ways this weekend would go a long way to settle the nerves and could even help a few of the players strengthen their hold on their place in the team, but a continuation of the current level of form and we could easily be set for a summer of change like we've never seen before.