Express & Star

Dean Keates: Make this a Walsall turning point

Dean Keates says Walsall must lay the foundations for their survival when they take on Coventry tomorrow.

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The Saddlers travel to the Ricoh Arena desperate to end a run that has seen them lose seven of their last eight games in League One.

Now sitting just two points above the relegation zone, Keates admits the confidence of his players is low.

But with 15 matches still to play, he says they need to now perform against the Sky Blues and use that as a springboard for the rest of the campaign.

“There is no denying that we are lacking confidence,” the boss said.

“We’ve gone from a team that moves the ball quite well, that plays in pockets, plays off the back foot, to playing forward and it’s become an easy option to just hit it long to Cooky (Andy Cook).

“We have gone away from what we were about earlier in the season.

“As a group we have had a good chat. We’re not in a good position. We have to find something.

“We need to go to Coventry and get a result. We need a building block to build on.”