Pictures and analysis of Walsall 4 Coventry 0

The challenge is different but the message remains.

As Walsall routed Coventry yesterday, a banner hung in the stadium which originally inspired during the Great Escape two years ago.

It epitomises the feeling within the club, from fans, management and players. That emotion which has aided them to sit three points shy of the League One play-offs with four games left.

The banner read 'Believe' and that is what the Saddlers must do.

Belief itself has been in short supply during the last five seasons.

It was there during the final months in 2010-11 as Walsall survived against the odds, returned last year to aid the Saddlers' relegation fight and now it is back to inspire for different reasons.

Generally, though, the majority of fans have lacked belief that their club could progress following years in the shadows until this season.

And, when Jamie Paterson – a boyhood Sky Blues fan – stroked in the fourth goal of a derby demolition, that belief continued to seep into every Walsall pore.

More than 5,000 Saddlers fans ––in a season-high crowd of 7,504 – believed.

A little under five months ago Walsall were 19th and three points above the drop zone after being hammered 5-1 at Coventry.

It was a defeat that rankled with the team due to the dubious nature of some of Coventry's goals.

How times change. Now they go into Saturday's crunch clash with fourth-placed Sheffield United holding not just faint, but viable, play-off hopes.

Dean Smith and his troops dismissed the idea of a 'must win game' but victory is paramount to catch the leading pack.

Walsall remain outsiders – like they always have been – but, having just clinically dispatched a former promotion rival to extend their unbeaten run to 12 games, who will bet against them?

They may miss out, those 13 agonisingly winless League One games earlier in the season could haunt them, but even if they do Dean Smith and his band of kids and travellers have worked wonders.

They have restored that belief, brought the club back to the people and repaired some serious cracks.

The season has been a success, play-offs or not, and the building blocks are already there for next year's assault.

Compare Walsall with Coventry and the Cyprus government will be on the phone begging the prudent Saddlers to resolve their cash crisis.

The Sky Blues are in disarray off the pitch but still needed to be dispatched on it. They are no mugs and, aside for the opening of the second half, Walsall clinically, confidently and coolly destroyed them.

Coventry were the masters of their own downfall in the second half after Jordan Stewart's red card but by then Walsall had already gone for the kill.

They cruised through without 19-goal striker Will Grigg, sidelined with hamstring trouble.

Craig Westcarr brought the goals that his efforts so richly deserved and Paterson's classy double answered any doubts over whether they could cope without Grigg.

James Baxendale was recalled to leave Westcarr as the sole frontman.

The striker flashed an early effort wide before Joe Murphy parried Andy Taylor's drive but the Saddlers were forced to wait until the 33rd minute for the opener.

It came from a predicable source when Paterson skipped round two challenges to slide in from six yards.

Callum Ball prodded wide after Johnstone saved from Carl Baker just before the break as Coventry briefly threatened.

Manchester United loanee Johnstone, commanding and confident, then turned Baker's header over immediately after the re-start.

But that was the last scare as Walsall doubled their lead on 54 minutes through Westcarr's penalty after Baxendale had been brought down by the hapless Aaron Martin.

Stewart walked after his second yellow for taking out the flying Febian Brandy and the visitors imploded.

When Paterson's free-kick was beaten out by Murphy, Westcarr netted the simplest of headers with 16 minutes remaining.

And Paterson completed the rout with a cool finish into the bottom corner three minutes from time after Westcarr broke clear.

Revenge over rivals and promotion possible. It's the belief which kills you but it also gives you hope.

By Nick Mashiter