This coming Tuesday Walsall Football Club travel to Greater Manchester to take on Rochdale in the latest round of Sky Bet League One fixtures.Walsall arrive at the match on the back of a tremendous 3-1 home victory over previously, unbeaten Preston North End.
The result put an end to the Saddlers' run of just three wins in twenty-six league and cup games, a record which dated back to the January 25th 1-5 drubbing of Notts County.
Until Saturday's result, the reds had also previously failed to score more than one goal at home since New Years Day.
WALSALL TEAM NEWS
Walsall will be without James Chambers (groin), Amadou Bakayoko, Rico Henry, Sam Mantom (knee), Ben Purkiss (ankle), Matt Preston (thigh), and Jordan Cook (ankle).
Club captain Adam Chambers, and top scorer Tom Bradshaw both face late fitness tests after being substituted during the weekend victory over Preston.
OUR OPPONENTS
Rochdale arrive at Tuesday's game on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United, a deflected Jamal Campbell-Ryce's goal handing the Blades' all three points.
Manager Keith Hill has no new injury worries, Josh Lillis (ankle), Matthew Lund (shoulder) and Jack Muldoon (groin) are all still out as Dale - who have won three of their five away games in all competitions - chase their first home win of the campaign.
The Dale have had an eventful start to the season, defeats to Peterborough United, Chesterfied and Bradford City are coupled with a 5-2 away victory over Crewe Alexandra, a 1-1 draw with big-spending Bristol City and a 4-0 victory over Crawley Town.
HEAD TO HEAD
In terms of head-to-head, of the fifty four previous meetings, Rochdale hold a slight lead with twenty wins to their opponents nineteen. There have also been fifteen draws between the two sides.
Their first meeting took place on 24th December 1921. the match ended in a 7-0 victory for the Dale.
Their most recent encounter took place in March 2012, the League One match ending in a 3-3 draw at Spotland, Dales' goals coming from Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro (2), and Michael Symes, whilst Emmanuel Ledesma, a Joe Widdowson OG and a 90th minute Andy Butler salvo were enough to secure a point for the Saddlers.
Walsall have won three of the previous ten meetings but non of the previous five (D: 3, L:2).
THE OFFICIALS
Tuesday's referee is scheduled to be Andy Madley, who is based in West Yorkshire. Referee Madley has officiated over five matches in various competitions so far this season, where he has issued seventeen yellow and one red cards. He has also awarded two penalties.
Matthew Corlett and Ross Joyce are set to run the lines, whilst Paul Kettlewell will be Fourth Official.