Bescot Banter: Walsall win is just what the doctor ordered

Following a series of sub-par showings, the Saddlers returned to winning ways with a superb display against the in-form Prenton Park side, who had won five league games on the bounce before they welcomed Walsall to the Wirral.

Goals from Elijah Adebayo, Wes McDonald, and Dan Scarr saw Clarke's crew overcome their much-fancied opponents with a performance befitting a team challenging for the title rather than one mired in mid table.

Despite having far less possession than their hosts the Saddlers were able to make much more of their time on the ball - creating three times as many shots on goal as the Birkenhead-based outfit simply had no answer for the pressure which was being applied.

And, to make the victory taste that little bit sweeter, it occurred in front of around two-thousand SuperWhites supporters as football fans made their long-awaited return to stadiums up and down the nation.

Just as fans being allowed to support their side in person has been a long time coming, so has the Saddlers' return to winning ways, and, possibly more importantly, their show of strength.

A performance which saw even the most disheartened supporters crack a smile, the Reds, or yellows on this occasion, were simply sublime as they not only created chances but also made the most of them with the home goalkeeper and his defence having to work hard in order to avoid a thrashing.

Manager Darrell Clarke is often criticised for his favourite post-match assertion that the Saddlers are close to handing a team a lesson in the beautiful game, especially when it comes on the back of another disappointing display, but thankfully this time he was proven correct.

Although the final score was far from a hammering, the overall performance was by far our best of the season and if the team can follow it up over the coming games, including this weekend's home clash with Bolton Wanderers, the match could prove to be the turning point in the season.

Of course, if last weekend's result is just another bump in our road currently paved with draws and defeats, it will only serve to increase fan frustration with a team which appears to have all the makings of a promotion-chasing entity but frustratingly lacks the ability to get it together when it matters.

With plenty of matches still to play and as only four points currently separate the Saddlers from the Play-Off places, we'll be watching with interest as the Saddlers' busy December schedule continues.