Express & Star

Blog: Nice one Walsall, shame about the kit!

Published
Last updated

Bright yellow shorts and socks with black shirts? Do me a favour, writes Walsall blogger Mark Jones.

more

Seriously, the garish outfit worn in last weekend's fine win at Fleetwood Town really is the only thing I've got to rant about this week.

Everything that had been lacking in the previous game was in evidence at the Highbury Stadium – in the result, the performance, the attitude and, dare I say it, the belief.

All of which makes the utterly forgettable display at Shrewsbury Town even more frustrating. On our day we can give any team at our level a game, even big spenders with unbeaten home records.

Credit where it's due, the changes manager Dean Smith made had the desired effect in shaking things up and we looked far more purposeful going forward.

OK, a second (or third) goal to add to Romaine Sawyers' opener would have been nice, but our back line will always give us a chance.

And goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell will be grateful to defender Paul Downing for his superb goal-line clearance to preserve our 10th clean sheet of the season.

One change we didn't have to make was in midfield, as the Adam Chambers red card was rightly overturned by the Football Association following our appeal.

As we won't ever get those 12 minutes back, I suppose an apology from them for the weak and cowardly (me last week) performance of their referee is too much to ask for.

Next stop is the vast expanse of sky blue seats that is the new home of London Wasps Rugby Club.

Our last trip to the Ricoh Arena was a full on disaster area and, save for one memorable Bank Holiday Monday and a glorious night back in the 1980s, our record against Coventry is pretty poor.

The response last week was brilliant, now it's time to lay a few ghosts to rest boys.

My good luck and best wishes also go to Dean Holden in his new role at Oldham Athletic. A great No 5 and a great bloke.