Walsall match with Cheltenham in doubt due to frozen pitch

After two consecutive Saturday fixtures, at home to Mansfield and away to Southend, were postponed due to a waterlogged pitch – the Saddlers battled freezing temperatures to play the rescheduled Mansfield game on Tuesday night.

The match kicked off 15 minutes early and had no injury time as the pitch became increasingly more difficult to play on.

Now, Walsall may be forced to postpone tomorrow's game as temperatures overnight are expected to reach minus five degrees.

A decision is expected to be made tomorrow morning following a pitch inspection.

When asked how likely it is that the game will be on, manager Darrell Clarke said: "I think we'll be struggling massively to be honest.

"The pitch is frozen this morning and the temperature overnight is worse.

"We'll be struggling but until we get clarification we'll be preparing as normal."

The game with Southend had been rescheduled for March 23, meaning next Tuesday is Walsall's only free midweek until late March.

When asked if extending the season is a viable option, Clarke added: "It's sensible but it doesn't fit into a lot of people's stuff does it.

"We just crack on. When the games are played, they'll be played.

"We know the amount of games we have left to play and as scheduled that has to be finished by May 8.

"We have 20 games to be played by then and we crack on. The congestion of the fixtures is there but it's the same for every team, albeit we probably have a small squad than most teams."

If tomorrow's game with Cheltenham is on the Saddlers are not expecting captain James Clarke or midfielder Rory Holden to return from injury in time. The latter is hoping to be available for the end of the month.