Ladies and gentlemen – welcome to the Late Show with Chris Hutchings.

Today we’ll show you how to turn one point into three and how to save a floundering team’s campaign in one easy month.

After the break we’re likely to hit you with a sucker punch to take victory and demonstrate how to bring consistency to a previously struggling side.

If Walsall were a chat show, they would be the Late Show after two goals in the last seven minutes claimed victory at Northampton on Saturday.

Stephen Hughes’ and Jabo Ibehre’s goals meant the Saddlers scored in the final 10 minutes for the third straight away game.

From those games they have won five points. Had they failed to score they would have just one.

The goals also stretched the Saddlers’ unbeaten record to four games – their second best run of the season – and sealed their first away win in three months.

Signs were already evident Hutchings was etching his beliefs on the team but the performance was marked with the grit and guile which has rarely been evident this season.

For their endeavour, there have been times when they have collectively combusted and been left with nothing. Outings at Tranmere, Huddersfield and Oldham testify to that.

This time it’s the Saddlers netting the late goals. At Sixfields there was a rugged edge to Walsall, it wasn’t pretty but it was effective.

The manager had celebrated a month in charge the day before and his record reads played eight, won three, drawn three, lost two. Not quite promotion form but better than their previous. The boss has undoubtedly raised expectations and performances, why else would the play-offs still be considered?

Since his arrival on January, 20 Hutchings has always stated a top six finish was the ultimate aim.

Of course it is still attainable – there is always one team who gatecrash – and a four game run unbeaten run is a good base – but there are other factors.

Nine points separate them from sixth placed Millwall, who have two games in hand.

They would have to embark on a monumental run between now and May and also rely on the failure of others.Whether everything falls into place is up for debate but next month will determine everything.

After Saturday’s visit of Yeovil, a daunting March awaits with seven games in 25 days. Eminently winnable matches at home to Crewe, Brighton and Cheltenham should prolong the chase but anything less than maximum points will render the trip to the aforementioned Lions in April meaningless.

Hutchings was bullish in his ambitions after the Saddlers’ victory in a grey Northampton and the win keeps the momentum flowing. It was scrappy, it was nasty and there will be prettier car crashes but three points are all that matters.

Many would argue Walsall were fortunate to escape with the win after the game seemed destined to end goalless.

But they were clinical and the nature of the victory will not worry the Saddlers.

Neither side looked likely to break the turgid deadlock, until Michael Ricketts slipped Hughes through and the skipper scored with impressive composure with seven minutes to go.

The preceding 83 minutes involved two teams who weren’t short on effort but lacked the necessary quality to win the game. Hurried clearances and scuffed shots were the order of the afternoon.

With the Saddlers winless on the road for eight games and Northampton sliding towards the drop zone, it was hardly surprising they failed to set pulses racing.

The hosts, with just two wins in 12 games, looked relegation fodder as strikers Adebeyo Akinfenwa and Billy Clarke were initially easily marshalled by Anthony Gerrard and Manny Smith.

Smith, making his eighth start of the season, didn’t look out of place despite his lack of action.

Supported by Gerrard and the ever reliable Paul Boertien the 20-year-old, deputising for the injured Rhys Weston, slotted in seamlessly.

Less could be said for Chris Palmer, who struggled against the double threat of Andy Holt and Danny Jackman, who had been given specific instruction to target the Saddlers’ right. The duo won a succession of corners which were squandered before Clayton Ince denied Clarke.

Holt swung one over and the on loan Ipswich man glanced a header goalwards, which the Saddlers stopper did well to keep out.

Ricketts was revelling in the open nature of the game. Dropping deep he was assisting the midfield admirably and cleared the danger in defence.

But, aside from a couple of weak headers from the former England striker, the Saddlers were yet to threaten debutant Ron-Robert Zieler, on loan from Manchester United.

The game continued in the same vein after the break as the teams struggled to breach the opposing defences.

Ricketts was impressing but it was Gerrard who almost put the Saddlers ahead midway through the second half.

Zaaboub’s corner eventually fell to the defender who, two yards out, saw his effort deflect over after desperate Northampton defending.

But with seven minutes to go Ricketts, who always found space in a game where he shone, slid Hughes through and the skipper did the rest.

The Saddlers would hold on with ease and even had the temerity to give the scoreline a one sided look in injury time.

Ibehre, on for the luckless Deeney, chased a long ball with Doig, wrestled the Cobblers skipper away and coolly found the corner.

A 2-0 scoreline hardly looked likely before the final 10 minutes but the 441 travelling fans cared little.

The rest of League One will be interested viewers.

By Nick Mashiter