Oliver Lancashire wants a dream win

Oliver Lancashire insists Walsall will not lie down against Yeovil – if only to get a good night's sleep.

The defender is plotting the Glovers' downfall tomorrow, after admitting he found it "almost impossible" to drop off after Tuesday's heartbreak at Sheffield United.

Lancashire found himself replaying the game – which saw Walsall lose a 2-0 lead to go down 3-2 – in his head after returning home in the early hours of Wednesday.

The defeat ended their unbeaten start to the League One season after a 1-1 draw with Hartlepool and an opening-day victory over Leyton Orient.

And, come tomorrow night, Lancashire wants to be counting clean sheets instead of sheep after losing out on his 40 winks.

He said: "It's hard to sleep after a game anyway but, when a game like that happens, it's almost impossible.

"I'm still disappointed. I went home on Tuesday night and couldn't really sleep. I kept on thinking about the game and how we didn't get three points, let alone one, but we've got to take the positives.

"After a night game when you finish about 10pm you don't get back home until 1am or 1.30am, so I didn't really get to sleep until really late.

"If we went there and got played off the park and lost 4-0 we would have held our hands up, but we went there and did very well so it was hard to take.

"You struggle to sleep after games regardless though, the adrenaline is still pumping around your body so it's quite hard to sleep, but I'm rested up for tomorrow now."

The game could be cathartic to the 22-year-old – who lost his place for a month the last time the Saddlers faced Yeovil.

The 1-1 draw at Huish Park in March saw Lancashire withdrawn at half-time with exhaustion, as the intensity of the team's Great Escape took its toll.

But now the former Southampton trainee has started the season with renewed vigour and insists he is fitter than ever.

He said: "When we played them last it was towards the end of the season and, like now, it was five games in two weeks and it took its toll on my body.

"This year I'm feeling a lot fitter thanks to our physio Jon Whitney's great pre-season.

"Last season I was in and out of the team and we had four centre-backs with Manny Smith and Clayton McDonald and Andy Butler. This year we might have three but Manny is pushing us and training hard.

"It's good for the team to have that kind of competition, but myself and Andy have come back looking strong and that's down to 'Whits' and the gaffer."

Butler will skipper the Saddlers, reprieved after his three-game suspension for his red card at Hartlepool last Saturday was overturned by the FA.

The suspended Adam Chambers serves the final game of his ban, while winger Jake Jones is making on an ankle injury but is still sidelined.