Tranmere v Walsall: Saddlers chasing 18 year long record after blistering start

The Saddlers consolidated their 1-0 home success over Morecambe in their League Two opener with a 4-0 crushing of Swindon Town at the County Ground last Saturday to occupy the League Two summit.

History could beckon in Merseyside with Walsall looking to emulate the 2006/07 League Two title-winning team by opening the season with maximum points in their opening three league games.

However, any such early excitement will be tempered by Mat Sadler, who is keen for his team to keep their feet firmly on the ground.

The Walsall boss said: “Clearly happy with the game at Swindon. It was a good performance and now it’s something to build on going into what will be a tough game.

“We’re always consistent with our message and that’s always going to be the case. The next game, approach the next thing, whatever comes next we’ll try and go after.

“We’re getting more experiences together and that’s really strong and powerful to have that.”

Walsall’s demolition of Swindon was only the second time they’ve netted four goals or more on the road in the league since suffering relegation to the EFL’s basement division in 2019.

It’s been 20 months since Walsall last enjoyed back-to-back away league wins, but Prenton Park has been a happy hunting ground for the Saddlers in recent years.

Only one of their last eight visits in all competitions has ended in defeat (winning four, drawing three) while Taylor Allen was among the scorers in a 3-1 success in the corresponding fixture in April.

Allen has been instrumental to Walsall’s storming start – scoring twice in as many games to sit just one shy of last season’s tally.

“There should be no ceiling to how he feels about himself. Taylor is a wonderful footballer with an incredible left foot and as an athlete he can do so many things on the football pitch,” Sadler continued.

“Just a top bloke who I love to see playing confidently and with a smile on his face.

“He’s a real leader in the dressing room. If you roll back two years and look at the growth in him during that time, it really has been amazing to see.”

Josh Gordon is a major doubt after sustaining a hamstring issue in the aftermath of his opening goal at Swindon last week.

Brandon Comley received positive x-ray results on the leg injury which has kept him out for the past month, but will need at least two to four weeks before he can be considered available.

Donervon Daniels has undergone surgery on his knee injury but is not expected to be in contention until the end of September, while Danny Johnson returned to first-team training this week, although there is still no time frame on his potential return.