Dean Smith is aiming for winning mentality

Boss Dean Smith today ordered Walsall to beat their mental demons after admitting the relegation fight has taken its toll.

The Saddlers chief insisted his men need to wise up and stop listening to the critics after just four wins this term.

Walsall have drawn 13 times in League One this season – the joint highest with Scunthorpe – after Saturday's 1-1 draw at Carlisle moved them a point clear of the drop zone.

And Smith wants his men to forget about their winter woes – with the Saddlers lying 20^th – and win the psychological battle.

He said: "One of the biggest parts of the game is the mental side of it. They've all got the technical, tactical and physical ability but it's the extra percent which is in the head.

"We've just got concentrate on ourselves and go out to win football games. We keep hearing we're a hard to beat team but on Saturday we looked like we were trying not to be beaten rather than trying to win the game.

"It's a little bit of the old subconscious coming into it. You read the headlines and Greg Abbott (Carlisle boss) said in his programme notes we're a hard team to beat and they were going to get a tough game.

"You read that and start believing it but we're all about trying to win games and we haven't won enough this season. We know that and we need to do that."

The Saddlers have the weekend off after the visit of Notts County was moved to Tuesday with the Magpies in FA Cup action against Stevenage.

They then go to drop rivals Scunthorpe next Saturday having drawn eight of their last 11 league games but Smith insisted they are taking the positives.

"We are fully aware of it, the players know that and we say week in, week out the only disappointment is we're not turning them into wins," said the boss, who is after loan recruits.

"We're becoming the draw specialist in the league but we're certainly hard to beat and no-one wants to play us.

"We don't fear anyone at the moment because we're doing OK. We're not far away from being a good side."