On Saturday afternoon Walsall Football Club will travel to Yorkshire to take on Bradford City in the latest Sky Bet League 1 fixture of the season. Our latest match preview is below.
WALSALL LATEST...
Dean Smith's Walsall side arrive at the game on the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Port Vale, the Saddlers failing to take advantage of an opportunity to rise up the table.
Walsall have arrived at the thirty game mark on an even keel, having won ten, drawn ten and lost ten of their Sky Bet League 1 games, they also have an even goal difference, having both scored and conceded thirty-two goals, giving them a fairly poor average of just over one-goal per game (1.07). The Saddlers have failed to score in 37% of their league matches so far this season.
However the Saddlers continue to enjoy fantastic away form having won four, drawn one and lost one of the last six league away trips, this puts them at the top of the current form table.
Overall the Saddlers have won three, drawn two and lost just one of their last six games, in all competitions, and will be looking to get back on track this weekend.
Smith will be boosted by the return of Tom Bradshaw, Anthony Forde and James Chambers, all of whom returned to training this week and will be in contention for a starting place ahead of kick off.
Midfielder Sam Mantom (Knee) remains the only long-term absentee, he continues to work with both Physio Jon Whitney, and Strength and Conditioning Coach Dean Harris. Sam is said to be targeting a return for the Saddlers' Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final clash with Bristol City, which takes place on Sunday, 22nd March.
THE OPPOSITION...
Bradford City have already played twice since the Saddlers defeat to Port Vale last weekend, they defeated Premier League outfit Sunderland by two-goals-to-nil in the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon, before putting two unanswered goals past surprise Sky Bet League 1 strugglers Leyton Orient on Wednesday evening.
City have won three drawn two and lost just one of their last six league games, and are enjoying a good spell of form having not tasted defeat in their last six games, in all competitions, this includes knocking Sunderland and Chelsea out of the FA Cup.
Manager Phil Parkinson has recently admitted that striker James Hanson, who scored a first half brace against Leyton Orient on Wednesday evening, and Andrew Davies are definitely out, with Hanson's hamstring problem looking significant.
Winger Filipe Morais is also said to be struggling with a jarred knee caused in an early challenge against the O's.
Striker Jon Stead remains doubtful, Parkinson is now considering bringing back Oliver McBurnie from his loan spell with Chester, along with looking to the loan market to bolster the squad.
HEAD TO HEAD...
In terms of head-to-head, of the forty previous meetings, it's all square between the two sides, with twelve wins each. There have also been sixteen draws during the fixture's history.
Their first meeting took place on Saturday, 7th January 1922, the match, which was in the First Round of that season's FA Cup competition, was played at Fellows Park and ended three all, with City winning the replay by four goals to nil just four days later.
In more modern times, the two sides most recent meeting took place earlier this season, on Saturday, 16th August 2014. The match, which was played at Banks's Stadium, ended all square with neither side able to find the back of the net. Gary Liddle saw yellow for the visitors, in an otherwise tame affair.
The Saddlers have won just one of the last seven meetings, a statistic that stretches back ten years. The rest of the matches ended in four draws, and two defeats.
OFFICIALS...
The man tasked with controlling the two sides is Mr. Tim Robinson, who is based in West Sussex.
Mr. Robinson, who has been on the list Football League officials for almost four seasons, has officiated over twenty-two games in various competitions this season, where he has issues an impressive, eighty-nine yellow, and three red cards. He has also awarded eight penalties.
Referee Robinson took charge of two Walsall fixtures last season, the most recent of which was the Saddlers' Sky Bet League 1 draw with Leyton Orient.
The match, which ended one-all, took place on Saturday, 22nd March 2014. Paul Downing's fourteenth minute opener was cancelled out by Nathan Clarke with twelve minutes remaining.
Mathieu Baudry, Romain Vincelot and Lloyd James were all booked for Orient, during a fairly poor game.
Mr. Anthony Backhouse and Mr. Mark Duncan are set to assist the referee, whilst Mr. Alf Greenwood is due to be Fourth Official.