Walsall's 2025/26 Sky Bet League Two campaign continues on Saturday afternoon as they welcome Chesterfield to the Black Country.NEWS & VIEWS
After slipping to defeat against Grimsby Town in the middle of the month, the Saddlers have gone on to win three times in all-competitions and find themselves in a promising run of form.
Arriving at the match on the back of last weekend's League Two triumph over title-favourites Milton Keynes Dons and an EFL Trophy victory over Shrewsbury Town, we've seen plenty of reasons to be cheerful.
Not only did the team rise to the occasion and bloody the nose of the high-spending 'Dons', a much-changed line-up also entered a dominant display at the Croud Meadow.
With the gaffer making the most of his opportunity to look at some of the lesser-used squad players, we hope more of them will be able to force their way into contention for the first-team.
Along with the likes of Ronan Maher, who in our opinion deserves more match minutes, academy prospect Stan Straw, who has been in superb form for the Under-18s, played for almost an hour and showed experience beyond his years as he slotted into the backline just before half-time.
TEAM NEWS
The Saddlers will be without defenders Harry Williams, Elicha Ahui, and Mason Hancock, who continue their recoveries from knee injuries.
Priestley Farquharson and Jamie Jellis are also doubts, whilst Derby County loanee Dan Cox will be unavailable, as he will be away on international duty with Wales U21s.
THE OPPOSITION
After winning their opening three league games, the Spireites have gone on to win just one of their last four games in all-competitions, including a midweek EFL Trophy thrashing by Crewe Alexandra.
Losing 7-1, Paul Cook's side will need to bounce back quickly if they are to get out of this poor run of form and back to winning ways.
FACTFILE: CHESTERFIELD
Nickname: The Spireites
Founded: 1867
Ground: SMH Group Stadium
Manager: Paul Cook
HEAD-TO-HEAD
There have been a total of 98 competitive meetings between the Saddlers and Spireites, and it's the Saddlers that hold a small head-to-head lead, having won 38 times compared to Chesterfield's 31. (29 draws).
The first meeting was a League Division Two clash that took place at Hilary Street, later known as Fellows Park, on Saturday, 11th November 1899, and Walsall won by six goals to three.
THE LAST TIME WE MET
The most recent meeting took place in front of 9,585 fans at the Poundland Bescot Stadium on, Friday, 16th May, and saw the Saddlers secure a place in the League Two Play-Off Final with a 4-1 aggregate triumph.
Walsall grabbed the opening goal of the game with under ten minutes of normal time remaining, as substitutes Charlie Lakin and Albert Adomah combined for the former to put the ball into the back of the net.
Chesterfield kept pushing and levelled the scores deep into second-half stoppage time as Armando Dobra grabbed a consolation.
However, the goal scoring didn't end there as Levi Amantchi, assisted by Albert Adomah, put the team back ahead to cap off a superb two-legged affair.
MATCH OFFICIALS
The EFL has confirmed that Zac Kennard-Kettle who is based in Berkshire will take charge of the match with Adam Burgess and Thomas Harty being named as assistant referees, whilst Lewis Smith has been selected as Fourth Official.
Kennard-Kettle has taken charge of five games so far this season, where he has issued some eighteen cautions and one red card, as well as awarding one penalty.
CATCH THE MATCH
The match will be broadcast live on Saddlers+ for international viewers, whilst UK-based Saddlers can hear live audio coverage on the same website. Click Here for further information.