Walsall 1 Norwich 2 - analysis

So it begins, allegedly the season is a marathon and not a sprint but get ready for the deciding dash.

Walsall will discover their fate in the next six weeks and after six months of hard graft they must not let the campaign go to waste.

It is teetering on the edge, ready to tip into the 'I told you so' bracket which gives the doubters so much ammunition.

Twelve points adrift of the play-offs and just five above the relegation zone – although that stat can be levelled at around half of League One – the Saddlers find themselves marooned in midtable.

It's a position they are not unfamiliar with but one in which they have never sat comfortably. There is a desire to break free from the shackles of mediocrity and we will soon discover if it becomes a reality.

Nine games in 29 days starting with Saturday's sojourn to Gillingham marks the beginning, or the beginning of the end, of the Saddlers' season.

Some may argue defeat last night to leaders Norwich left the Saddlers' play-off aspiration as a mere pipe dream.

But while it is mathematically possible to gatecrash the top six the players and management will sweat blood to reach them.

However it is becoming increasingly difficult, despite their games in hand, to see the Saddlers challenging for the play-offs such is the power of the teams above them.

As League One begins to have a sense of realism about it there are sides with bigger budgets and better players leading the way.

The pessimists will cast worrying glances at the bottom as the lower half of the table begins to close up but there are far worse teams than Walsall and they demonstrated that fact at the Banks's Stadium last night.

Put simply Walsall shouldn't have lost but that's the ruthless nature of football.

The defeat stung. The manner of it hurt and this one really stuck in the throat because it was undeserved.

It was third time unlucky as far as the Saddlers were concerned. Twice the game had been called off due to the weather and this time, despite their efforts, Walsall left empty handed.

It was a similar story in the 2-1 defeat to Leeds in August where the Saddlers took the lead against a promotion favourite only to lose following two late goals.

It is too easy to compare the two games but within those 180 minutes you can all but define the Saddlers' season.

Battling qualities in abundance, the ability to cause an upset or two but in the end they lacked a certain spark to finish the big boys off.

Boss Chris Hutchings was confident enough to state afterwards similar showings between now and May will see the Saddlers chalk up a few more ticks in the wins column.

He is right but they must capitalise when on top because performances mean nothing come the end of the season.

But last night was a performance they can build on as they almost followed up the bullish pre-match talk.

Their only previous win against a top 10 side was the last gasp victory against Huddersfield in September. The Saddlers had nothing to lose.

And they opened well, forcing the Canaries into mistakes and playing some incisive football.

Mark Bradley scuffed wide after a clever header from Darren Byfield as the Saddlers edged the first half with Troy Deeney and Byfield troubling the City backline with their pace.

And Deeney opened the scoring on 35 minutes when the Norwich defence got themselves in a complete mess to allow the striker to run through and tap into an empty net.

It was no more than the Saddlers deserved after their gritty start, the prolific Canaries superbly marshalled by the dominant Manny Smith and Clayton McDonald.

Every time the visitors broke they were cut off, the forwards starved of service thanks to the tenacity of the Saddlers' midfield.

Richards was displaying all the credentials needed while Dwayne Mattis and Bradley showed the talents which had occasionally gone missing this season.

Even the interval failed to stop Walsall's momentum as Deeney latched onto Darel Russell's mis-placed pass before the midfielder recovered to snuff out the danger.

Stephen Hughes blazed over after good work from Wes Hoolahan as Norwich sought a way back into the game but were unable to break down the stubborn Saddlers.

And the hosts went agonisingly close to doubling their lead just after the hour when McDonald's header was cleared off the line by Hughes.

As Walsall pressed the Canaries struggled to combat them and were lucky to survive a penalty shout when Simon Lappin handled Deeney's cross.

But, as the game wore on, the Canaries became more dangerous and levelled in unfortunate circumstances 14 minutes from time.

Hoolahan tossed in a deep corner and it was missed by Clayton Ince to allow Chris Martin a simple tap in.

Two minutes later Hoolahan's corner clipped the top of the bar with Ince beaten while the keeper palmed over Russell's shot.

The Canaries had their tails up and snatched the winner with five minutes remaining.

The dangerous Hoolahan was afforded too much space on the left and his delivery was met by the unmarked Cody McDonald to volley in off the post.

Crestfallen, the Saddlers tried to rally and almost claimed a deserved point at the death but Byfield's shot was well parried by Fraser Forster.

By Nick Mashiter.