Match Preview

Saddlers Aiming To Make It Seven Wins On The Road As We Travel To Luton

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Right following a two week holiday and the international weekend its time to get back into the swing of things so here’s the preview ahead of Saturday’s tough trip to Luton Town.

Luton have the best home record in League 1 and the Saddlers have the third best away record – something has to give.

TEAM NEWS

LUTON

Striker Danny Hylton returned to action last weekend following a month off and will be available to Nathan Jones this weekend however midfielder Luke Berry is still overcoming injury and will be unavailable.

WALSALL

Walsall boss Dean Keates still has long term absentees Joe Edwards, Adam Chambers and Kory Roberts missing from his matchday squad however everyone else is fit and ready to go for Luton.

Following his goal against Bristol Rovers, Keates has a decision to make whether to bring Morris back into the fold or continue with Ginnelly and Ismail.

Also it will be interesting to see whether Liam Kinsella keeps his spot in the heart of midfield following his impressive display against the Pirates.

LIKELY LINE UPS?

Luton – Shea, Stacey, Pearson, Bradley, Potts, Rea, Mpanzu, Justin, Grant, Cornick, Collins

Walsall – Roberts, Devlin, Guthrie, Fitzwater, Leahy, Ismail, Dobson, Kinsella, Ginnelly, Ferrier, Cook

DANGERMEN

JAMES COLLINS (LUTON)

Collins has scored four goals and got one assist so far this season. Since his move from Crawley Town, Collins has scored twenty-four goals in sixty appearances.

The tall and strong striker will give Fitzwater and Guthrie problems all afternoon.

MORGAN FERRIER (WALSALL)

Despite not scoring in his last three appearances, Ferrier is a player who will turn it on when you least expect it. His last goal in a Saddlers shirt came in our victory away to Oxford at the end of September but Ferrier will be looking to add to his four league goals already this term.

PAST MEETINGS

The Saddlers have faced Luton on forty-three occasions – Walsall 18, Draw 5, Luton

The last time the two sides met came ten years ago where Luton won 1-0 at the Banks’s Stadium in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Quarter Finals where a last minute goal by Kevin Watson was enough to break the hearts of Saddlers fans dreaming of Wembley.

The last time both sides met at Kenilworth Road came in 2008 where a solo goal by Stefan Moore was enough to see the Saddlers victorious.

The Saddlers have only lost one league game against Luton in the last eight.

Our last five away league games v Luton

01.05.08 – Luton 0-1 Walsall

22.02.05 – Luton 1-0 Walsall

12.09.00 – Luton 0-0 Walsall

26.09.98 – Luton 0-1 Walsall

22.11.98 – Luton 0-1 Walsall

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFREE – ANDY WOOLMER

Linesmen – Andrew Fox & Paul Hodskinson

Fourth Official – Jack Packman

Woolmer has officiated three games so far this season and sent two players off!

In the twenty-three games he officiated last season Woolmer sent two players off and dished out sixty-one yellow cards.

It has been an entertaining affair when Woolmer has officiated a game involving the Saddlers with three red cards being shown (just one to a Saddlers player – Ben Purkiss) in just eight games. The Saddlers have however won three, drawn three and lost two of those eight.

MATCH PREDICTION

The Saddlers have a decent away record at Kenilworth Road and in the last five games we have won three of them 1-0. There is very rarely a lot of goals between the two sides with only five goals scored in the last six at Kenilworth Road.

We are formidable away from home but apart from Barnsley this will be our second biggest test of the season – which I hope we will pass with flying colours!

VITAL PREDICTION – LUTON 0-1 WALSALL

UP NEXT

Tuesday 23rd October (19:45)

Sky Bet League 1

Southend v Walsall

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