Beevers knows only the brave will survive

Back in familiar – if uncomfortable – surroundings Walsall know what they have to do all too well.

It is the proverbial 'squeaky bum time' for the Saddlers and their drop rivals with 10 points separating the bottom eight ahead of the run-in.

And ahead of tomorrow's visit of Stevenage Lee Beevers insisted they cannot be afraid to make mistakes.

The Saddlers slipped back into the bottom four after Tuesday's gut-wrenching 2-2 draw at Sheffield Wednesday.

Gary Madine's 95th minute equaliser and Wycombe's 3-1 win at Exeter left Walsall a point behind the Chairboys with a game in hand.

It was another twist in the survival race which is set to go to the wire again with nine games remaining.

The Saddlers still have to play Rochdale, Exeter and Chesterfield – the rest of the bottom four – over the next month and Beevers knows only the brave will prevail.

"You can't have any fear going out there, being on the ball or making mistakes. They will happen and you have to keep getting on the ball and doing the right thing," said the 28-year-old, who is expected to keep his place with Richard Taundry unlikely to recover from a hamstring injury.

"Looking at the team sheets before the last two games, every player apart from the back four and the keeper were attack-minded. It shows what we want to do as a team and how we want to progress and go forward.

"Goals are what count in this game and we have to put the games behind us and move on because you don't know how many points you're going to need.

"If you look at the average in the last few seasons 50 has been a benchmark. You say get to 50 and that's you safe. This year, who knows?"

Beevers replaced Taundry during the 3-2 win over Sheffield United earlier this month after his positional rival limped out.

Right-back is his favoured position after he has deputised at centre-back, left-back and goalkeeper this term and he is enjoying a settled run.

"It's one of those things which happen in football, you have to come in, take your chance and do what the manager asks," said the ex-Ipswich and Lincoln man.

"All of the back four need to keep doing what they are doing – whoever plays. We've defended well all year and have to keep it going.

"Groffy (David Grof) is making some alright saves too, I've been challenging him in training and I'm on a par with him there."

Adam Chambers could return to the squad if he shakes off an infection in his cut heel which has sidelined him for the last two games.

The Saddlers could cash-in against the stuttering Boro, without the suspended Jordan Slew who was sent off in Tuesday's 0-0 draw with Colchester.

Strike partner Patrick Agyemang, on loan from QPR, was brought in to beef up the attack but Boro have scored just once in their last three games.

One win in their last eight League One outings has also hit their play-off challenge and Agyemang admitted confidence has been hit.

He said: "We've been making hard work of the games so far but we haven't lost and we've been getting points which is positive.

"I'd heard a lot about the team, I heard they pass it and they just needed someone to put the ball in the net. But at the moment that's not what I've been seeing. It's more hard graft and you've got to create stuff out of nothing really so I'm just getting used to that.

"There's a lot of stuff I'm getting used to and I'm still getting to know the players and the players are still getting to know me. We've just got to be patient and as long as we don't lose we will start winning soon."