Fear of relegation a factor for Mattis
Midfielder Dwayne Mattis reveals the fear of a relegation dogfight shocked Walsall into action and admitted the squad had to "look at themselves in the mirror."
Midfielder Dwayne Mattis reveals the fear of a relegation dogfight shocked Walsall into action and admitted the squad had to "look at themselves in the mirror."
The Saddlers head to Huddersfield tonight on a three game unbeaten run, after Saturday's 2-1 win over Tranmere kept them 13th in League One on 54 points.
But Mattis revealed the squad were seriously concerned about being dragged into a relegation scrap, after defeats at Exeter and Southend last month.
He said: "After the Exeter and Southend games we had to look at ourselves in the mirror and say 'do we want to get drawn into a relegation fight?' which was what could have happened.
"The performances weren't good enough, we know that as players and we had to buck our ideas up. In the last three games that's what we've done.
"W ha've gone to Stockport and put in a good battling performance with 10 men, we had another batting performance against Wycombe and on Saturday we got the three points.
"No we will go to Huddersfield full of confidence."
The 28-year-old expects the Saddlers to continue their run at the Galpharm Stadium tonight.
Lee Clark's men are clinging to the final play-off spot on goal difference following Saturday's shock 3-0 defeat at Brentford, with Huddersfield fan and former Terriers player Mattis ready to wreck their promotion dream.
He said: "I am a Huddersfield fan but Walsall pay my wages and are my club now. It's a massive game for them and after the weekend all the pressure is on them, so we can go there and play our football.
"I've played in front of that crowd, it's a big club and they expect a lot.
"If we set our stall out and make it difficult for them the crowd will get on their back."
Mattis netted a last minute winner in the Saddlers' 2-1 victory over Huddersfield at the Banks's Stadium in September and admits it's his inspiration.
He said: "When I feel a bit down and or have a bad game I'll go home and put the DVD on and it cheers me up.
"It will cheers me up for the next 20 years, it means that much to me."
