Keeper Carl Rushworth hopes time off will prove boost for Walsall

The Saddlers were due to host Newport County today in their first match for three weeks after a string of Covid-19-related postponements.

None of the three games called off over the festive period were due to positive cases in the Walsall camp and Rushworth believes the relatively clean bill of health may give them an advantage as the season restarts.

Newport are one of numerous clubs to have experienced a Covid outbreak, which led to the postponement of their trip to Leyton Orient in midweek.

The Saddlers have spent three weeks on the training ground since a 3-0 win over Colchester on December 11 and Brighton loanee Rushworth admits players are raring to get playing again.

He said: “It’s been a weird situation to be in because we’re training for nothing.

“We’re not doing specific training leading up to a game so it’s been a bit strange that way

“But I feel as though as bad as it is that we’ve been missing games, it’s been good that we’ve still been in training and getting the work in that we need to give us somewhat of a head start over other teams, when they’ve been out during this time with Covid.

“The lads will always have the right mentality that we could be playing a game and when it gets to the point where it gets called off, we still get our work in because they’re missing out on the game so we have to do the running and the lads have been top with that.

“We’re taking it (the pandemic) seriously when we’re in and around the training ground and also when we’re at home. We know what we should and shouldn’t be doing just to keep ourselves safe and our families safe as well.”

“It feels like ages since we’ve played, three or four weeks since our last game. Colchester was our last game so a 3-0 win, the lads are going to be confident going into it, especially after all this training that we’ve had.”

The Saddlers headed into the weekend sitting 12th in the table, six points outside the play-offs places which are very much their target over the second half of the season.

Rushworth has been among their most consistent performers and the 21-year-old, one of more than a dozen summer signings as boss Matt Taylor revamped the playing squad, admits he is relishing his first full season in senior football.

He said: “At the start of the season I was a lot busier but I knew it was going to be like that with a new team and we were going to be building up slowly.

“Now we’re at this point, I feel as though the team has started to progress together and play well together so I’m not as busy.

“We’re getting the points we needed. It’s a positive overall I had the exposure at the start and now I’m getting the game time that I need.”