Walsall's 2025/26 League Two campaign rolls on on Easter Monday as they make their way to the Nigel Eady County Ground, where they'll take on Swindon Town.NEWS & VIEWS
The Saddlers' unbeaten run under interim head coach Darren Byfield reached five games on Good Friday as they and Gillingham played out a two-all draw at the PalletTrack Bescot Stadium.
Taking the lead via Aaron Loupalo-Bi's first league goal, the Saddlers were not only dragged back onto level terms but fell behind when Ronan Hale and Seb Palmer-Houlden netted for the Gills.
However, after being on the pitch for just a couple of minutes, on-loan Charlton Athletic striker Daniel Kanu grabbed his 18th goal of the season to secure a share of the spoils.
Sitting 11th in the table ahead of kick-off, the Saddlers have entered must-win territory as they look to get themselves back into the battle to secure a place in the Play-Offs.
Three points currently separate them from 7th-placed Chesterfield, so a first defeat in six could easily see them six points behind with only four games remaining, whilst that isn't an impossible gap, they'd have to rely on other teams altering to secure their place.
Whatever happens on Monday, the team is much improved over the last few weeks, and we hope the Board of Directors can see what could have been if change had come just a few weeks earlier.
THE OPPOSITION
Unbeaten in their last four league games, the Robins have won two of their last eight and will reach the match on the back of a one-all draw with Cambridge United, where a 90th-minute James Gibbons own goal saw Swindon grab a late point.
FACTFILE: SWINDON TOWN
Nickname: The Robins
Founded: 1879
Ground: The County Ground
Manager: Ian Holloway
HEAD-TO-HEAD
There have been a total of 110 competitive meetings between Walsall and Swindon Town. And it's the Robins who hold a small overall lead, having won 41 times compared to the Saddlers' 39.
There have also been thirty draws over the history of the fixture, a history which began at the County Ground on Saturday, 15th October 1927, as the two sides met in a Division Three (South) clash which the Robins won by five-goals-to-nil.
The Saddlers would also go on to lose the next two meetings, conceding another seven goals in the process, as their opponents enjoyed a strong start to the rivalry.
In fact, Walsall wouldn't secure their first victory over Swindon until their fifth meeting, which took place at Fellows Park on Monday, 23rd September 1929, and saw the Saddlers triumph four-nil.
THE LAST TIME WE MET
The most recent meeting took place at the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium on the opening day of the season, Saturday, 2nd August 2025, and saw Walsall win 2-1.
The Saddlers opened the scoring with just eight minutes on the clock when Evan Weir unleashed a free-kick into the top corner of the Swindon goal, A superb way to open his account for the season.
After being reduced to ten men - Brandon Comley being shown a straight red card for a foul - the Saddlers batted hard to retain their lead, but were eventually pegged back from the spot as Will Wright slotted the ball home after referee Oliver Mackey awarded the visitors a spot-kick.
Walsall didn't allow the visitors' goal to get them down, as they battled and fought to grab a winner in second-half stoppage time, as Connor Barrett took advantage of some terrible defending to put his side back into the lead.
MATCH OFFICIALS
The EFL has confirmed that Elliott Swallow will take charge of the match, with Joseph Larkin and Andrew Ellis being named as assistant referees. Thomas Staten has been selected as Fourth Official.
GAMES
|
24
|
YELLOW
CARDS |
RED
CARDS |
111
| 5
|
PENALTIES
|
4
|
CATCH THE MATCH
The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+ to fans in the UK, and Walsall's in-house service, Saddlers+, also has Monthly and Annual audio passes available. Visit their website for further information.