Walsall boss Dean Smith warns battlers

Dean Smith today demanded Walsall finish their survival job but warned – 'we're not safe yet'.

The manager has put the champagne on ice with the Saddlers set for a final-day thriller at Southampton at the weekend.

A 2-0 win over Charlton on Saturday kept them a point ahead of fourth bottom Dagenham and favourites to escape the drop.

The Daggers, who go to Peterborough, have to beat Walsall's result to survive while Notts County, a point ahead of the Saddlers, are also sweating as they host champions Brighton. And, ahead of the Great Escape climax, Smith insisted they cannot take League One survival for granted.

He said: "We can't rely on anyone. We'll concentrate on our own job. I'm not looking at what Dagenham are going to do at Peterborough or what Notts County might do. It's about what we do and how we perform against a very good Southampton team.

"There's still a job to be done. What we've done is put smiles on people's faces because it was the last home game and we did what we had to do. We won and won it well."

Smith replaced Chris Hutchings in January with the Saddlers rock bottom and eight points from the safety line.

He has won seven of his 24 games to guide them to the brink of survival and admitted he is relishing the task at St Mary's. "It would be nice to know we've secured our future but what a great occasion to go to Southampton," he said. "If we win we stay up. It would be a fantastic achievement."