Kevan Hurst in warning to Walsall's relegation rivals

Kevan Hurst today fired a warning to Walsall's drop rivals and insisted the Saddlers have them in their sights.

The winger believes they can reel in their fellow strugglers and aren't fazed by the relegation fight.

There is a seven-point gap between the 20th Walsall and Oldham in 17th but, ahead of Saturday's trip to his former club Carlisle, Hurst is confident they can drag their rivals back into the scrap.

"Everything is in our own hands I feel, you don't want to rely on people to slip up. It's not what I want to do and what the other guys want to. That one win will push us on," said the 26-year-old, who returned from a heel injury in Tuesday's 7-0 reserve defeat at Stoke.

"Look at Hartlepool's form and where they were at the start of the season. They have come down in the space of 10 games so it shows you other teams are catchable.

"It's possible to do whatever you want to do. We've got to beat the teams around us and get those back to back wins which gives teams confidence. "

But Hurst admitted the Saddlers have been the masters of their own downfall after blowing too many leads.

Chesterfield and Bournemouth have snatched a point with injury-time equalisers recently and Walsall drew a blank at Brentford on Saturday.

And Hurst revealed his frustration at watching his team-mates struggle from the sidelines.

"Bournemouth was so frustrating as a professional to watch," said the former Sheffield United and Scunthorpe man.

"They didn't look like scoring and I feel we have to learn how to see games out. It does come with age and experience but it's so frustrating for me.

"You have to squeeze and play in their half in those situations and we didn't do it.

"It was an opportunity to get two extra points and give us that extra spur. But I don't see the gap as being anything to worry about. The way the league is you can go a few games without a win – it happens – and you can survive it.

"Where you are in the league is where you deserve to be now but I don't think we'll be there at the end of the season."