Marc-Antoine Gbarssin backs Walsall

Marc-Antoine Gbarssin has insisted Walsall will survive as they cranked the heat up on their relegation rivals.

The Saddlers ground out a 0-0 draw at Swindon on Saturday to stay three points clear of the drop zone.

Just eight points separate the bottom six ahead of Walsall's home clash with Leyton Orient tomorrow – which could see the fifth-bottom Saddlers steal a march on their rivals.

Midfielder Gbarssin made his bow at the County Ground, after signing on loan from Carlisle on Friday, and reckons his new club have what it takes to survive.

He said: "The team have enough quality to stay in League One and if we put in the same effort until the end of the season relegation is avoidable.

"I'm really positive and I want to be a part of this. We have to be positive because we have enough quality to do it.

"There's no big problem and if we put in the same effort until the end of the season we'll surely stay in this position.

"The collective challenge is to stay in the division and we can't forget the club wants to stay in the division, it's not done yet."

The 26-year-old Frenchman helped the Saddlers to a battling point – which was preserved by goalkeeper Jimmy Walker's last minute save from Michael Rose – and insisted it was a crucial result.

He said: "Maybe they passed it better than us but we can't forget it was a good point away from home. Both teams did a good job and it was a fair result.

"It was a difficult game because it was a battle in midfield, it was difficult to pass the ball because we had a lot of pressure on us in the midfield.

"Both teams worked really hard."

And the former Antwerp star and Bordeaux trainee vowed to give his all for the Saddlers' cause.

He said: "In my position you have to be strong, win the duels and win the battles – you can't play in the position if you don't have the quality.

"I can bring it to the team and I tried to do it on Saturday and will in the next game."