Consistency the key for Hutchings
Walsall boss Chris Hutchings believes his side are starting to find the consistency which has eluded them all season.
The Saddlers won 1-0 at Leyton Orient on Saturday to make it just one defeat in six on the road.
They have also lost just twice in 11 games, after Mark Bradley's first-half strike settled the clash at Brisbane Road.
Hutchings has demanded they continue their form for the final seven games of the League One season.
He said: "We've got to maintain it otherwise we'll win one, draw one, lose three, draw one and lose one.
"We've got to find that consistency and I think we are gradually getting there.
"It was a very hard working team performance, very hard-fought and we're delighted with the three points."
Bradley's second goal of the season, and second in two games, handed the Saddlers three points in a scrappy game where the visitors scored with the best move.
Alex Nicholls, Jabo Ibehre and Troy Deeney linked up to send Bradley clear with the midfielder thumping a shot past the exposed Jamie Jones in the O's goal.
But Bradley will now miss Saturday's visit of Cheltenham, as he joins up with Wales under-21s to play Luxembourg this week.
The manager said: "The best move of the match resulted in a goal for us. It was a good bit of team play and Bradley ran through and finished it cleanly, he's a quality player.
"It's two in two for Mark, so we're a little disappointed he's going away, but at the same time we're delighted he has been called up again."
But it wasn't all comfortable for the Saddlers, who started slowly and looked nervy.
Clayton Ince, who also misses the Robins' visit as he joins Trinidad and Tobago for games against Honduras and the USA, superbly tipped Jimmy Smith's close range effort over just after the break before saving Jason Demetriou's low strike nine minutes from time.
Hutchings said: "You go away from home and you know it's going to be difficult. They'd had three wins on the spin and Geraint Williams has done an excellent job with them.
"We knew it was going to be a tough, tough game and it proved to be."
The win was especially pleasing for the boss as he was forced into a defensive reshuffle.
He said: "Anthony Gerrard was not with us, Rhys Weston came in at centre-back and Chris Palmer filled in at right-back, so we had to change things around.
"But we dealt with it and got the result."
Gerrard is expected to be out for another two weeks and Hutchings has yet to give up on signing another defender before the loan deadline on Thursday.
