Walsall's Darryl Westlake targets six-pointer wins for the Saddlers
Walsall defender Darryl Westlake today targeted a six-point haul against their relegation rivals – and insisted the Saddlers will win at all costs.
Walsall defender Darryl Westlake today targeted a six-point haul against their relegation rivals – and insisted the Saddlers will win at all costs.
The right-back wants victories against Chesterfield and Rochdale to ease the relegation pressure.
The Saddlers go to the rock-bottom Spireites tomorrow after just two wins in their last 20 games in all competitions and host fellow strugglers Dale on New Year's Eve.
They welcome Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day but Westlake admitted, with the Saddlers 21st in League One, the other two games are vital.
He said: "We've got to be looking at six points from them because they are teams around us. We know we can beat teams like that.
"We haven't won in a while and we need that win to boost the confidence and take us on to the next game.
"The wins are the most important thing and we know we need to start doing that.
"If we do then we'll give ourselves a bit of space."
But the 20-year-old insisted, with the Saddlers a point from 20th-placed Scunthorpe, he isn't panicking because he believes they have learned their lesson.
He said: "I'm not worried at the minute because we're only halfway through the season. We know we had a poor first-half of the campaign but we have to kick on and make it better.
"We've worked on what we've done wrong and have learned from it but we have to take those lessons on to the pitch and get the wins we need.
"Last season we were in the relegation zone and weren't playing well, but this time we feel we've done well in the majority of games and we're solid at the back."
Westlake returned in Tuesday's FA Cup defeat to Dagenham after six weeks out with ankle ligament damage.
The former trainee is set to retain his place with right-back rival Lee Beevers likely to deputise in the middle with Manny Smith (concussion) and Oliver Lancashire (hamstring) doubts.
And Westlake insisted he always believed he would win his spot back.
He said: "You get injured, these things happen, but you just haven't got to think about it too much.
"You just have to get back on track and fit again."
