It's a catch up for Saddlers

Walsall manager Chris Hutchings admits the team are playing catch up and must ensure they don't get sucked down the table.

The 12th placed Saddlers are set for a hectic February which sees them play eight games in 26 days, starting with the visit of Charlton on Tuesday.

They have slipped 12 points adrift of the League One play-offs but are only five clear of the relegation zone and boss Hutchings realises they are in danger of becoming marooned in midtable.

He said: "We've got a couple of games in hand but I'd rather have the points on the board. Up until five or six weeks ago when we were playing regularly we had a gap of five six points to the next club below us and we were in touch with the top clubs.

"We've not played and others have caught us. It's all congested but the top boys have kept winning and they've opened a gap.

"We need to get into that phase of playing regularly and getting back to winning games. It's difficult because all of a sudden it's all closed up again. During that period if we had picked up a point here or a point there we'd be a lot closer."