Jonathan Macken out to upset odds

The size of the task is huge and the odds against them - but Walsall striker Jonathan Macken is out to confound the critics.

Macken is adamant Walsall can win their relegation fight despite their desperate plight at the bottom of League One.

They head to relegation rivals Bristol Rovers tonight on a high after their last-gasp 3-3 draw at Tranmere on Saturday kept them in touch with safety.

Managerless, but not pointless, they left Prenton Park in buoyant mood - something Macken is determined to use to their advantage.

But the forward admitted the constant reminders of being rock bottom are becoming tiresome and he is ready to turn the tables on the taunts.

He said:?"It doesn't put you off but you hear it every day and you know what people are thinking but there's nothing better than saying at the end of the year - look at us, look what we've done week in, week out.

"It's massive challenge for us, it's only us who can do it but I'm certainty willing to put the hard work in to try and achieve something.

"Tonight is another massive game and if we show the fight and commitment we showed on Saturday and the will to win I'm sure we'll be OK.

"But it's massive. I'm sure there are going to be mistakes and things we're not going to be pleased with but all we can do is give a good account of ourselves, like we did in the second-half on Saturday.

We'll go out fighting and not give them an inch or anything away."

Rovers, who appointed Dave Penney as manager yesterday, haven't won at home since beating Rochdale 2-1 on October 16 and lie 22nd - four points ahead of their visitors.

Macken knows the heat is on the Saddlers to win their 'six-pointer' but insisted they must keep cool to succeed.

He said: "You have to have that fearlessness in you. You can't worry about making a mistake and must just go out and put it right. That's how we've got to go about the rest of the season.

"We can't feel sorry for ourselves, if we do then we're going to be down there all season and it's going to be even harder losing every week. I don't want to do it, it's not what the team want to do or the manager.

"We don't want that, we want to go fighting at least and show what we're all about."

The 33-year-old's fourth goal of the season - his first since the 4-1 defeat to Tranmere in October - sparked the Prenton Park comeback before he set up Andy Butler's dramatic 94th minute equaliser.

It kept the Saddlers eight points from safety instead of 10 and Macken revealed his pride in the revival.

He said: "It wasn't a win, it was a point but it's a massive point for us. We were 3-1 down and in previous games it could have turned into to four or five, because our heads were down and people were looking at each other thinking 'who's going to spark something off?'

"But as a team we did it and it changed. Hopefully it can be a catalyst for the rest of the season.

"We have still got a massive challenge ahead of us."

Goalkeeper Jimmy Walker is set to miss out again with a hamstring injury, while Richard Taundry's ankle problem will keep him sidelined.

Rovers are likely to be without food-poisoning victim Byron Anthony with Danny Coles set to replace the defender.

And new manager Penney, who succeeded Paul Trollope, will be introduced to the Memorial Stadium tonight.

Penney has been out of work since leaving Oldham in the summer and had been linked with the Banks's Stadium hot-seat.

He said: "It's nice to get back in and get straight down to it, which is what's needed.

"I made a conscious effort that when I came out of Oldham I was going to try and choose the right football club, and I have been in the fortunate position that I could wait a bit. This felt right when I had the interview.

"The club has great tradition and I don't think it should be in the position it is in. I came and watched against Plymouth and the first-half was very encouraging.

"There looks like there is something to build on."