A big Easter ahead as Walsall's play-off hopes remain in the balance

Just two points separate Walsall from the League Two play-off places ahead of a crucial doubleheader on Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

First, Walsall host Gillingham at Bescot on Good Friday before travelling to the County Ground to face fellow promotion rivals Swindon Town on Easter Monday.

By which point, Walsall could be nestled in the final play-off spot, or possibly as much as eight points adrift of the top seven.

A six-team play-off shootout

It’s essentially a shootout between six teams for one play-off spot, although the trip to Swindon does present Walsall with a chance to claw back points on those higher up the table.

Crewe Alexandra are the latest tenants of seventh spot which has also recently been occupied by Grimsby Town and Chesterfield in the past fortnight.

Walsall also briefly climbed into the play-off places for all of four minutes until Colchester United equalised to salvage a point last Saturday.

Grimsby sit just a point above Walsall - but boast two games in hand - while Chesterfield also have a slender one-point advantage having played a game fewer than the Saddlers.

Oldham Athletic are locked on 61 points with Walsall and have a game in hand with a +8 advantage as far as goal difference is concerned.

Odds still stacked against Walsall

Both of Grimsby’s games in hand are on the road at Chesterfield on April 14 and fourth-placed Cambridge United - who boast the best home record in League Two.

But the race for the play-offs is as tight as ever with just three points separating Crewe in seventh and Barnet in 12th.

Grimsby are the odds-on favourites to sneak into the final play-off slot at 5/6 - with Walsall very much the outsiders’ choice at 12/1.

Renewed optimism

But a four-game unbeaten run under new interim head coach Darren Byfield has breathed new life into a previously faltering promotion push.

Two wins from 14 games during the latter stages of Mat Sadler’s reign had seen Walsall plummet from the League Two summit into 12th.

But wins over Crewe and Newport County along with draws against Cambridge and Colchester has put the Saddlers back in the mix.

Yet the margin for error is now so small if Walsall want to secure a play-off berth for the second season in succession.

Maximum points from the next two games would be the dream, but anything less than four points could leave them with far too much to do in the final four games.