Tough Tangerine task for Walsall

James O'Connor is expecting to face a much stronger Blackpool side than the one Walsall thrashed earlier this season.

The Saddlers produced one of their best displays of the campaign over the August Bank Holiday weekend to ruthlessly put Neil McDonald's crisis-hit club to the sword.

A Romaine Sawyers double, a Tom Aldred own goal and a Sam Mantom header secured a comfortable 4-0 victory at Bloomfield Road.

That result kept the Tangerines rooted to the bottom of the table. But they have since hauled themselves out of the relegation zone and handed out a thrashing of their own after beating Scunthorpe 5-0 last weekend.

"It's going to be a completely different game to when we played them in August," O'Connor said ahead of tomorrow clash at the Banks's. "They have progressed a lot since then. We went there on a sunny day to play on a great pitch. It's going to be very different tomorrow. They have pulled themselves up because they were rock bottom at the time.

"They have had a lot of different personnel in the team, but they have had the chance to work together now so they will be much stronger."

Walsall continued their push for promotion by securing a 3-2 win at Bury last weekend. But their last match at the Banks's saw them fall to a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Rochdale with McDonald likely to use that game as a blueprint for how to beat the Saddlers on home turf.

"They could use it as a blueprint but we were really disappointed with how we fell into Rochdale's trap," O'Connor said. "We didn't change how we played when maybe we had to.

"It sounds strange to say but if we can learn from that then maybe that result could end up being a vitally important one in the season."

O'Connor is enjoying an outstanding season at the heart of a Walsall defence that is currently the second best in League One. And while admitting he is pleased with his own performances, he was also quick to praise his team-mates.

"It helps having a settled side and I think the little triangle of me, Paul Downing and Adam Chambers has been good," O'Connor added.

"We talk a lot during games and the more you play together the better your relationship becomes. I'm enjoying my

football.

"Before I came to the club I almost missed a whole season through injury.

"You come in and your confidence takes a knock – you don't like to admit it but it does.

"It's just nice to be enjoying my football again and when you are enjoying your football, it shows in your performance."