Adam Chambers spurs Walsall on

Adam Chambers today urged Walsall to go for the kill against Oldham and go off at the starter's gun.

The midfielder wants to launch a shock and awe assault on the Latics tonight to arrest a mini-slump which has halted the Saddlers' momentum.

Two defeats on the bounce – the latest Saturday's 2-1 loss at Notts County – has hampered Walsall's bid to keep up with the early pacesetters.

But Chambers admits it's their own fault, after three successive games where they have failed to perform from the off.

They survived a scare in the 2-1 Johnstone's Paint Trophy win over Shrewsbury, but were downed by Brentford and the Magpies following sluggish openings.

And now Chambers insisted the Saddlers cannot afford any more false starts if they are going to compete at the top.

He said: "You don't like losing or getting into a losing run and we need to put it right. But we have got to get on the front foot straight away.

"We're looking to do that, there's nothing we can do about the Notts County game and we have to put things right and get off to a good start tonight.

"If we do what we've done in the second half for the last two games then we'll get a decent result, but it all depends on us starting well.

"We can't quite put our finger on why it takes 45 minutes to get going and we have to rectify it. The second-half on Saturday was a lot better, we had more pressure and chances.

"But it was a disappointing result and we're disappointed with the first-half performance.

"I feel that's where we let ourselves down."

The 30-year-old former Albion midfielder insisted the youthful make-up of the side – the squad has an average age of 23 – shouldn't be used as an excuse.

He said: "A lot of the lads have played a lot of games now, so I don't think you can put it down to that. It was just a bad first-half performance.

"We've had spells in home games and spells in away games but we need to be a bit more consistent throughout the 90 minutes.

"Sometimes when you've lost a couple and the next game is a week away, it's a long time to think about it.

"But, with a game tonight, it gives us the chance to put it right."

Claude Gnakpa is likely to be out after he limped off at Meadow Lane with a hamstring problem, so David Martin could make his debut after joining on loan from Derby County today.

But goalkeeper Jimmy Walker is available again, after partner Emma gave birth to baby Ethan.