Sitting drinking in the club's bar before the game I was full of hope
and anticipation for a good performance and three points-wrong
again! It was another game where Walsall should have won if only
they could finish what few chances came their way.
The first half started like so many this season.Walsall failing to get
going, struggling to maintain any sort of possession getting bogged
down but on 28 minutes Michael Ricketts had a golden chance from
about 10 yards, finding himself on a one-on-one with the keeper only
to see his delicate lob strike the bar when surely he should have
powered it in.
This at least got a bit of belief in to the players and four minutes later
Troy Deeney beat the keeper only to see his shot hit the outside of
the post.The home side had more of the play and more chances but
it was annoying to think we could have been 2-0 up at the break.Clayton
Ince was called into the action a few times but generally kept in control
what was thrown at him.
Alex Nicholls was looking useful in the second half and had a couple of
chances to add to his recent goalscoring exploits but even he didn't have
his shooting boots on today.Ricketts had another chance on 71 minutes
when his header was cleared off the line.
Tactically Jimmy Mullen started with 4-4-2 before switching to 4-5-1 but
infuriated the travelling fans by not even thinking about making a
substitution till after Cheltenham had made all theirs, introducing young
Will Grigg in the dying minutes.
By now the usual 250 or so Saddlers away die-hards made their feelings
known for another disappointment by taking it out on our manager by
alternating between 'We want Mullen out', 'You don't know what you're
doing and even 'Worse than Merson' with even Jeff Bonser being asked
to vacate the club.
With Northampton, Hartlepool and Huddersfield all taking three points this
weekend we now find ourselves slipping down the table a bit.A below par
performance at home to Stockport on Boxing Day and the natives really
will be restless.
