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PRE-MATCH NEWS & VIEWS
After suffering a second defeat in as many games as hosts Salford City bagged all three points in midweek, the Saddlers are back on the road this weekend as they make the shirt trip to Sixfields Stadium where they'll be taking on Play-Off chasing Northampton Town.
Though the result was a narrow one - Matt Smith's header securing all three points - the performance against the Ammies was far from acceptable Micky Flynn's men huffed and puffed their way to defeat.
With several far-from-match-fit players being named in the team, there was a clear lack of oomph among the traveling Saddlers, and they'll have to be much improved if they're to take anything from Saturday's trip to Northamptonshire.
Looking to close the gap on the Play-Off places, the Reds can ill afford to drop yet more points as there are already five between them and seventh-placed Mansfield Town.
With a new month comes new opportunities, and, whilst his arrival technically took place in January, Deadline Day signing Matty Stevens could easily be the man we've been waiting for as the gaffer looks to replace the goals which Danny Johnson would have likely scored if he'd have remained in WS1.
Reforming his potent partnership with former Forest Green forward Jamille Matt, Stevens adds plenty of goal-mouth guile to the team and will hopefully give us an example of that this weekend.
Opponents Northampton were afforded a midweek off and arrive at the match refreshed and off the back of last weekend's win over Barrow, a result which saw them bounce back from a duo of defeats to keep pace with the sides above them.
The Cobblers also added some new faces on the day of the January Transfer Window as Ipswich Town striker Tete Yengi and Stoke City winger D'Margio Wright-Phillips arrived on loan for the remainder of the season, with the duo likely fit to take on the Saddlers tomorrow.
FORM IN FIVE
Here is how the Saddlers and their opponents Northampton Town have fared in their last five Sky Bet League Two games.
NORTHAMPTON TOWN
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WALSALL |
LWLLW
| WLWDL
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HEAD-TO-HEAD
Walsall and Northampton Town have met on eighty-eight previous occasions, and it's the Saddlers who hold a narrow overall win/ loss advantage having secured victory on thirty-seven occasions compared to the Cobblers' thirty-three.
There have also been eighteen draws over the history of the fixture, a history which began at the County Ground on Saturday, 5th November 1927 as the two sides met in a Division Three (South) clash which Northampton would win by ten-goals-to-nil.
The Saddlers secured their first-ever win over the Cobblers just over a year after their first meeting as the two sides clashed on Christmas Day, Tuesday, 25th December 1928, with Walsall winning by four-goals-to-three.
THE LAST TIME WE MET
The most recent meeting between the Saddlers and Cobblers was a League Two clash that took place at Poundland Bescot Stadium on Tuesday, 4th October 2022, and saw Walsall secure all three points as Danny Johnson scored what was his ninth goal of the campaign.
MATCH OFFICIALS
The EFL has confirmed that Bobby Madden, who is originally from East Kilbride in South Lanarkshire, will be the man in the middle as Walsall take on Northampton Town on Saturday afternoon,
We also know that James Vallance and Kevin Howick have been named assistant referees, whilst Declan O'Shea will act as Fourth Official.
GAMES OFFICIATED
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19
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YELLOW
CARDS |
RED
CARDS |
53
| 3
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PENALTIES AWARDED
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1
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CATCH THE MATCH
If you're not planning on going to the game you can catch the match via the club's in-house service - iFollow Walsall - which takes you through the highs and lows of every Saddlers game.
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