Walsall 1 Huddersfield 1 - analysis

Mission accomplished, job done – and with a game to spare.

No last-day drama, no nasty surprises, just blessed relief as Walsall survive.

Wycombe and Chesterfield's defeats to Notts County and Yeovil respectively meant the Saddlers' 1-1 draw against Huddersfield on Saturday was enough.

Sixth-from-bottom, four points clear of the drop zone with the weekend's trip to MK Dons remaining. After 45 games, it all sounds so simple.

League One survival should be celebrated because, in the current climate, that's where the Saddlers are. There's no escaping the fact their first goal should be staying in the division.

But it's not something which should be the aim season after season. There should be – and is – more ambition than targeting fifth-from-bottom.

Manager Dean Smith said it all when he revealed his delight, but insisted the achievement should not be one to go overboard about.

The celebration shouldn't be misconstrued as one of great delight. Great relief would be more appropriate, as relegation to League Two was unthinkable.

Walsall know they have under-performed this season after big pre-season promises and survive after one win in their last 11 games.

That is why this survival feels different to the last. They should always have stayed up this year, whereas last season they were dead certs, at one point, for the drop.

This season didn't hit the highs or lows of 12 months ago, meaning celebrations were not full-throated but more reserved.

Maybe the concern from fans is: 'Do we now have nothing to look forward to, other than survival?'

Maybe the euphoria and emotion of last year overshadowed it?

Maybe it was because the Saddlers have stumbled and tripped over the line?

It doesn't matter. Regardless of how it was secured, Walsall are safe and that's what counts. They have always been good enough to stay up but have made hard work of it.

And Smith can now start planning for League One again – with derbies against Coventry and Shrewsbury – with his own team. Once contracts are offered or expire and signings are made, it will be a squad purely moulded by the manager 18 months after he first took charge.

First came the fire-fighting just to keep the Saddlers in the league and this year was a case of stabilising the club again.

He has been able to make his mark on the club and the team, but next season he will have only the players he wants – not ones he inherited.

Smith is unlikely to get the funds to transform the Saddlers, but there is a firm belief in the squad that next term will be different. Two consecutive seasons of fighting relegation have sapped the fun out of watching them. It's not enjoyable when there is so much riding on it and for much of Saturday it didn't look as if survival would be achieved.

Only late goals for Notts County in their 4-3 win at Wycombe and Andy Williams' strike for Yeovil in their 3-2 victory over Chesterfield meant a point was enough.

Ironic that, after a season of late disappointment, last-minute goals would eventually come to the Saddlers' rescue.

But it was an early one which rocked Walsall when Lee Novak drilled in after just 90 seconds as a prelude to a frustrating half.

The Saddlers – who recalled Jimmy Walker for a potential Banks's Stadium swansong – never got going but should have had a penalty when Jack Hunt bundled over Emmanuel Ledesma in the box.

Novak headed over when unmarked and Andy Butler nodded wide to continue Walsall's worries. Until, that is, four minutes after the break when Florent Cuvelier drove in after Mat Sadler's clever cross.

The midfielder, such a key to Walsall's late season rally, signed off his loan spell from Stoke with his most important goal and with it the Saddlers found new belief after a tense, nervy first half.

Oliver Lancashire headed wide and Alex Nicholls twice fired off target as survival edged closer.

And as word broke of other results, the celebrations in the stands began with time to spare. Boring, hey?