Will the Glovers be the perfect fit for the Saddlers promotion push or will we be unseated in the battle of these two closely matched teams.
The Saddlers go into the match just a couple of points more than Yeovil so defeat means we will drop out of the play off places to be replaced by last years play off finalists
Vital Talk
Marcus Stewart and others have been talking tonights game up as a tough encounter but a game they expect to win. Likewise from the walsall camp although Media eyes have also been cast in Darren Wracks way as he talks about a return to the scene of that tackle.
Richard Money has been full of praise for our young lads and was pleased with how our teenage striking partnership faired on saturday, what has been said to Dan Fox behind close doors remains a secret.
Yeovil Town Team News:
Manager Russell Slade has skipper Terry Skiverton, Mathew Rose and Paul Warne ruled out with suspension. Whilst Darren Way has returned to Swansea at the end of his loan. But have extended the loan of striker Jimmy Walker and loan returnees Darren Bechet and Ishmel Walsh add more depth to the squad of 16.
Upfront Lloyd Owusu will be a handful as will experienced Marcus Stewart
Having lost ther last Match away at Luton on New Years day Yeovil have benefited from the break and will be going all out for 3 points
Player to watch: Steve Mildenhall
Grimsby Town fans were gutted when when ex manager Russell Slade took promising keeper Steve Mildenhall away from The Mariners. Many football fans were suprised that Mildenhall didn’t end up at a championship club, so impressive was his form in league Two. However he has inhanced his reputation with some fine saves as Yeovil went as close as you can to going up last year, beaten play off finalists
Walsall Team News:
Despite recent good run of form and a 16 match unbeaten run and a record 11 games unbeaten away there is an air of gloom over the squad for this game. Whilst Anthony Gerrard returns from suspension to replace Ian Roper at the Heart of the defence we have a number of issues Tommy Mooney’s hamstring has kept him out for the last three games Micheal Ricketts came off on saturday carrying a thigh strain and Ishmel Demontagnac was reduced to a hobbling passenger having been kicked all over the place. On top of this our left side has been disrupted by Dan Fox handing in a transfer request as Leeds and others come sniffing and Peter Sweeney has been sold from under our noses to Leeds. Micheal Dobson and Paul Boertien have an outside chance of returning but are more likely to feature in Wednesdays reserve game.
So a true test of character ahead of us tonight.
Player to watch: Martin Brittain
Played 16 games for Yeovil as he helped them towards the play offs, so they more than likely know more about him than we do.
He is still short of match fitness and practise but may have to be drafted into a starting line up depending on injuries, he looked useful on the right on saturday but struggled when switched to the left hand side.
Match Facts & Stats
Form sugested a draw which most Saddlers would take right now. However recent meetings have proven that this hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for us, and of course Darren Wrack revisits the scene of that terrible tackle by Colin Miles that broke his leg and rupture ankle ligaments.
Ref Watch:
Mr M P Russell is the man in the middle tonight.
Match Prediction:
Up front concerns me, if either Ricketts or Mooney play I am not convinced they will be 100%. Alex Nicholls and Troy Deeney played well upfront together against Millwall but the lack of experience cost us I feel, a lack of goals tonight could see us going down 1-0 perhaps 2-0
Next Fixtures:
Administartion doggers Swindon Town visit the Banks’s our first meeting since our joint promotion party on the last day of last season….most welcome visitors and I am glad that there troubles are behind them.
