Analysis of Exeter 2 Walsall 1

Questions are asked but there are few answers - Walsall are a common conundrum.

Another performance of dubious merits at Exeter on Saturday leaves the Saddlers unable to build any of the momentum which has proved so elusive.

They are stumped, their Essington efforts failed to materialise on the pitch again and the question of how they can improve remains.

But the 'must do better' message from boss Chris Hutchings is something which surrounds dressing rooms the length of the country. That's because, while there is an understandable demand for success, the Saddlers are no different from around a third of the 92 Football League clubs.

Things have to be taken in context. With a bunch of inconsistent players and no money, how far are they expected to go?

A quick glance at the table sees the Saddlers 14th in League One. With the possible exceptions of Brentford and Carlisle, every other team above them is out of the Saddlers' financial league.

How is Hutchings expected to put together a side to challenge with the footballing equivalent of buttons and some string?

That's not a dig at anyone, it's just the fact of life. They have a lower, mid-table budget but have flitted around the top of that bracket for most of the season.

Hands are tied and with the slack they have to work with, Hutchings and his assistant Martin O'Connor are doing as well as can be expected. Messers Mourinho and Ferguson would not do much better with the same resources.

We could bang on about budgets all day, although naturally they are influential. But the fact remains that, despite their efforts, Walsall have underperformed on the pitch in recent weeks.

The form since December has not been good enough even after everything has been taken into consideration. Four wins in 19 games is not good reading. To complain about it is not exactly kneejerk.

With the bottom two - Stockport and Wycombe - to come over the Easter weekend six points is imperative, if only to end any lingering fears of being dragged into a relegation scrap.

Walsall should be fine but there is always that worry. Despite their failings the Saddlers are better than the bottom teams - the only problem is they are not as good as those at the top.

The majority of defeats this season have come by the odd goal and they have not been outclassed often, but there have been too many hard luck stories.

They are not far from being a decent side, three or four key additions in the summer and this team can rise from the mediocre ranks to push forward.

Much will depend on Hutchings' powers of persuasion because he will doubtless again be shopping in the bargain bin.

Last year he improved the squad on a shoestring and this time he will have to do so again. A big finale is important to start showcasing the club to potential targets.

There is the desperate need to put the last week behind them. Two defeats, culminating with Saturday's narrow and perhaps unfortunate loss at Exeter, have been symptomatic of the season. Now is the time to shake a leg and go all out in the final eight games.

Rhys Weston, Manny Smith and Netan Sansara all returned with Clayton McDonald suspended and Matt Richards having failed to recover from his ankle injury.

Also without the experienced Dwayne Mattis, the Saddlers were ill-equipped and nervy in the opening stages and Exeter took full advantage when Matthew Taylor slammed in a header after escaping the attentions of a slipshod defence.

The hosts' five-man midfield bossed their visitors with Ryan Harley and Steve Tully enjoying one of their more productive afternoons down the right.

Sansara was struggling against the twin threat and only Barry Corr's woeful finish prevented Exeter moving further ahead after Tully's sweet centre. Slowly though, the Saddlers fought their way back and Troy Deeney was inches away from connecting with Steve Jones' cross.

They came even closer to equalising when Weston tested Paul Jones and then Deeney's header skimmed the bar. But in first-half injury time the visitors survived a massive scare thanks to a wonderful piece of defending from Smith.

Harley beat an ill-conceived offside trap and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Rene Gilmartin only to be denied by the defender's last-ditch block.

In truth, it would have been harsh on the Saddlers who had finally woken up but they were left enraged when referee Trevor Kettle awarded Exeter a highly-contentious 57th-minute penalty.

Jamie Vincent and Corr tangled on the left and the pair fell into the box. The infringement took place outside the area and, while the assistant referee signalled a foul, he did not award a penalty. But, to the disbelief of the Saddlers, Kettle pointed to the spot leaving Harley to dispatch the kick from 12 yards with minimum fuss.

Walsall needed something special and pulled one back within five minutes thanks to Julian Gray's first goal in more than two years. Exeter failed to deal with Taundry's long throw - a feature of the Saddlers' afternoon - and the winger coolly bent a volley into the far corner from 16 yards.

It was a way back into proceedings for the visitors but there was to be no grandstand revival, as they huffed and puffed with little end result. Ultimately, Taundry's 25-yard snapshot was the closest they got to securing the point their second-half efforts merited.

By Nick Mashiter