Tomorrow evening Walsall Football Club travel to Greater Manchester to take on Rochdale, in the second Round of the 2014/15 Johnstone's Paint Trophy.The Saddlers arrive at the game on the back of an encouraging 1-1 home draw with table-topping and undefeated Bristol City.
WALSALL TEAM NEWS
Walsall will be without top-scorer Tom Bradshaw who limped off during the first-half of last weekend's draw with the Robins, with what could be a recurrence of the hamstring strain that forced him to miss time earlier in the campaign.
Attacking-midfielder Romaine Sawyers will also miss out, as he has flown out to Haiti to represent St Kitts and Nevis in the second phase of qualification for the 2014 Caribbean Cup.
Sam Mantom (knee) remains sidelined, with the injury that has seen him miss the entire campaign so far.
Attacking-midfielder Romaine Sawyers will also miss out, as he has flown out to Haiti to represent St Kitts and Nevis in the second phase of qualification for the 2014 Caribbean Cup.
Sam Mantom (knee) remains sidelined, with the injury that has seen him miss the entire campaign so far.
OUR OPPONENTS
Rochdale arrive at the game on the back of a 0-1 Sky Bet League One defeat to recently relegated Barnsley.
That loss put an end to a three game winning streak which began with a 4-0 mauling of the Saddlers in mid-September.
The Dale progressed to the Second Round of the JPT with a 3-0 away win over troubled Crewe Alexandra in early September, and will be keen to get back to winning ways on Tuesday night.
Rochdale have no new-injury concerns and are unlikely to make many changes to the side that lost to Barnsley, with manager Keith Hill telling the club's official website; “It’s highly unlikely that we'll make too many changes with respect to us not having a game on Saturday. If we would have had the game on Saturday then I might have made up to four changes, but not the five changes you can make in the competition.
“I'm probably going to stick with a similar squad to the one that played on Saturday, or the squad that represented the club in the last round of the Trophy against Crewe.”
That loss put an end to a three game winning streak which began with a 4-0 mauling of the Saddlers in mid-September.
The Dale progressed to the Second Round of the JPT with a 3-0 away win over troubled Crewe Alexandra in early September, and will be keen to get back to winning ways on Tuesday night.
Rochdale have no new-injury concerns and are unlikely to make many changes to the side that lost to Barnsley, with manager Keith Hill telling the club's official website; “It’s highly unlikely that we'll make too many changes with respect to us not having a game on Saturday. If we would have had the game on Saturday then I might have made up to four changes, but not the five changes you can make in the competition.
“I'm probably going to stick with a similar squad to the one that played on Saturday, or the squad that represented the club in the last round of the Trophy against Crewe.”
HEAD TO HEAD
In terms of head-to-head, of the fifty-five previous meetings, Rochdale hold a slight lead with twenty-one 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 September of this year, with Rochdale hammering the Saddlers 4-0 at Spotland. Goals from Matt Done, Ash Eastham, Ian Henderson and an Andy Butler OG proving more than enough to secure all three points for the Dale.
Walsall have won two of the previous ten meetings but none of the previous six (D:3, L:3).
THE OFFICIALS
This weekend's referee is scheduled to be Mr. Mark Heywood, who is based in Cheshire.
Referee Heywood has officiated over eight matches in various competitions this season, where he has issued twenty-four yellow and one red card. Mr. Heywood's last Saddlers match was a 1-1 draw with Bury on 27th October 2012.
Referee Heywood has officiated over eight matches in various competitions this season, where he has issued twenty-four yellow and one red card. Mr. Heywood's last Saddlers match was a 1-1 draw with Bury on 27th October 2012.
Mr. Chris Akers and Mr. Shaun Hudson are scheduled to be referee's assistants, whilst Mr. Steven Copeland will be Fourth Official.
TICKET NEWS
ADULTS/SENIORS: £10
BETTING
The latest Sky Bet odds are; ROCHDALE 21/20 DRAW 23/10 WALSALL 5/2
Admission prices have been set at;
ADULTS/SENIORS: £10
JUNIORS (U16): £5
NO TICKETS ON ADVANCED SALE // PAY ON THE NIGHT ONLY
The latest Sky Bet odds are; ROCHDALE 21/20 DRAW 23/10 WALSALL 5/2