Jon Whitney: Walsall hungry for the top two

The Saddlers, who have secured back-to-back away victories under their interim manager, host basement club Colchester at the Banks's Stadium tomorrow.

Whitney's men enter the game sitting third in League One with only goal difference keeping them behind second-placed Wigan with 10 games remaining.

And Whitney has told his players if they keep working hard they have a great chance of winning a place in the Championship.

He said: "There is a real desire amongst the players – you can see it building. You can feel the atmosphere.

"Even on the way up to Fleetwood – on the bus – the players are laughing and there is a real spirit among them.

"They can have success, they can play with freedom and express themselves but if they want to do that they have to make sacrifices physically.

"You have to work hard for success. Tactically and technically you can be great but you have to put in that hard work.

"We did that against Fleetwood and that result upset our rivals. Barnsley, Millwall, Wigan, Burton, they were all hoping we'd get beat.

"We upset a lot of players and we want to continue to upset the teams around us."

Walsall enter the game against the U's looking to put a disappointing spell at the Banks's behind them having failed to win at home in their last six attempts.

Key to their hopes will be the performance of Neil Etheridge, who produced a Man of the Match display at Fleetwood.

The goalkeeper made one outstanding save and expertly dealt with a number of crosses into the box, leading Whitney to compare him with Saddlers hero Clayton Ince.

Whitney said: "There is nothing better for a defence if you have got a goalkeeper that can come out and claim crosses like Neil does.

"Clayton did it fantastically well when we went up in 2007. Neil is fantastic. If you have got a keeper that will come and take crosses it fills you with with confidence as a defender."hint