Blog: A good shot in the FA Cup for Walsall

After a fine win in Nottingham, are the odds in favour or against the Saddlers going on a bit of run now?

There have been a couple of false dawns already, so we have to be a bit cautious, writes Walsall blogger Mark Jones.

Butt it was the performance against Notts County as much as the result that was so encouraging.

In fact, I'd wager it was easily the most complete away display since our last trip to the banks of the Trent.

Richard O'Donnell again proved his worth with an assured performance, topped by two top quality saves, one in each half.

The defence were solid, with James Chambers particularly catching the eye. Brother Adam ran the midfield, giving a platform for Romaine Sawyers and Tom Bradshaw to be a constant menace to a hapless Notts defence.

Special mentions should also go to Jordan Cook, whose superb run fully merited our opening goal, and Michael Cain, who uses the ball so well.

But, all-round, it was a great team display and the togetherness and team spirit was there for all to see. The game was not without controversy, of course.

I mean why shouldn't a professional footballer blatantly handle a ball while stood inside his own penalty box and then expect to not get punished for it?

As for anything else, other than the possibility of an investigation into how 11 successive teams had managed to avoid beating a limited Notts County side, then the 2-1 scoreline was a completely fair result.

It's no coincidence that last week we were close to our first-choice team and I genuinely believe that when on song the squad that's been accumulated can be as good as anything we've seen since the Ray Graydon era.

Just to highlight a point about the job Deano's doing, this was our Reserve line up against Wrexham last week.

From: MacGillivray, Kinsella, Holden, Preston, Benning, Mantom, Flanagan, Clifford, Grimes, Morris, Manset.

Nine of that line up have featured in, and starred for, the first team this season.

Craig MacGillivray and Matt Preston are widely tipped as 'ones for the future' and only player-coach and famous No 5 Dean Holden can really be seen as short-term cover.

Judging by the reaction of our superb backing at Meadow Lane, I'm not the only one who has faith in Deano and the boys. Time to go strawberry picking lads.