Analysis of Oldham 1 Walsall 1

There is always a bigger picture - and that is coming into sharp focus.

As Walsall's turbulent season reaches a thrilling climax, 180 minutes stand between them and survival.

A heartbreaking draw at Oldham yesterday denied the Saddlers a win but it was enough to move them out of the League One drop zone.

However, if they are relegated, many will look to Jason Lowe's late leveller as the goal which sent them down.

It would be the 'what if' moment - a favourite of fans from every club in the land. The crystallising moment when you say 'there, that's when we lost it.'

Against 10 men, with two minutes of normal time remaining, Walsall should have seen it through after Tom Williams' free-kick had put them ahead.

They were naive and failed to do the basics right once Filipe Morais was sent off 20 minutes from time and lost two priceless points - but they are still standing.

The fact there is disappointment is only natural. The Saddlers were so close to that win which would have piled the pressure on their relegation rivals.

They could have moved three points clear - daylight - with just six points up for grabs.

Instead they are a point ahead but does it not show the strides they have made since January. Survival is there for the taking and, with two games to go, they can ask for no more.

They are the ones out of the bottom four, they are the ones with the points and they are the ones to catch.

This team - except for a couple of additions - was going down at the turn of the year. After the 4-1 defeat at Peterborough on January 3, they were eight points from the safety line.

They were gone and behind closed doors there will be - and have been - one or two admissions of that.

Two points from the Easter weekend is half of the in-house target, but enough to edge them ahead and leave the others sweating.

Bristol Rovers' last gasp heartbreak at Bournemouth and Dagenham & Redbridge's narrow defeat at Huddersfield means they cannot afford to lose their last two games.

Should Plymouth win their final three games they will go above the Saddlers, but that's a tall order for the Pilgrims.

But once Walsall - guided by the relentlessly positive Dean Smith - got themselves back into contention it was always going to be like this.

A final day showdown has been looming for a long time. Charlton await on Saturday but fates will be decided on May 7.

Walsall are at Southampton, Dagenham at Peterborough, Bristol Rovers go to Colchester and Plymouth host Leyton Orient.

Few would fancy the Saddlers to take something at St Mary's - especially if the Saints need the points for promotion - meaning Saturday's visit of Charlton is their best shot.

What is sure, though, is they must raise their game for the Addicks after a gritty outing at Boundary Park.

The Saddlers started well enough, although were indebted to the linesman's flag for curtailing Warren Feeney's seventh minute celebrations when the striker lashed in after his initial header hit the bar.

Jon Macken reacted by forcing goalkeeper Dean Brill to parry his 30-yard effort before the recalled Will Grigg headed over.

In a game where quality was at a premium, Walsall suddenly found their rhythm and should have scored twice in two minutes just after the half hour.

Macken was thwarted one-on-one by Brill's brilliant stop, before he teed up Julian Gray only for the winger to shoot wastefully wide.

It sparked new life into a game which was rapidly descending into oblivion and the teams turned up the heat immediately after the break.

First, goalkeeper Jimmy Walker had to beat out Aidan White's free-kick and then deny former loanee Reuben Reid with a quick-fire double save.

The visitors then should have had a penalty when Dean Furman felled Macken on 52 minutes. But Walsall didn't have to wait long for the opener to arrive six minutes later.

Jordan Cook was tripped on the right and, when Williams floated in his 25-yard centre, it evaded everyone and bounced in.

It was no more than Walsall deserved against a poor Oldham outfit. The Saddlers' hopes were boosted further when Morais, on as a first-half substitute, went through the back of Cook with two feet and was dismissed on 70 minutes.

Yet, despite their man advantage, Walsall failed to capitalise as they squandered possession cheaply and rarely threatened a second.

They paid the price two minutes from time when the Latics were given too much space and Lowe unleashed an unstoppable 25-yard drive into the top corner.

Matt Richards and Williams went close for Saddlers soon after but couldn't salvage the win.

A point wasn't desired but survival is and, in the bigger picture, Walsall are in the foreground.

By Nick Mashiter