Analysis: Darren Byfield has put the fight back in Walsall

Darren Byfield has Walsall fighting again after months of embodying the walking wounded.

The play-offs remain within two points and the improvement since he took interim charge has made Walsall fans begin to believe again.

The return of Brandon Comley was key to how the midfield functions. He selflessly goes about his business linking the defence and midfield, but also has an eye for a pass.

No Walsall player made more passes into the final third (12) but he also reads the game so well - which creates the platform for Alex Pattison and Charlie Lakin to push up in the press.

Pattison is proving a real workhorse and covered an endless amount of ground. His race was clearly run by the latter stages but his ability to track back at a relentless rate did not go unnoticed.

There was one instance when Harrison Burke was caught out of position in the first half and Pattison seamlessly slotted into the back-line to intercept the danger.

And that was just one example of a number of understated acts which can often go unnoticed but play a crucial role in the performance of the collective.

One of the biggest flaws in the overall display was the Saddlers’ inability to threaten in the wide areas - especially during the first half.

Albert Adomah looked tired after his recent succession of starts and Aaron Loupalo-Bi struggled to make an impact too.

His reluctance to track back also left Mason Hancock with his hands full, although he navigated the threat of Kyreece Lisbie relatively well.

Another threat for the opposition was their elusive playmaker Jack Payne but Colchester struggled to translate possession into clear-cut chances.

Myles Roberts was almost made to pay when he flapped at a corner on the cusp of half-time. The ball fell to Harry Anderson but his stabbed effort was smothered by the Walsall defence.

The first half was generally pretty cagey but it opened up after the break with a number of chances at either end.

Loupalo-Bi almost got himself on the score-sheet when his low shot was cleared off the line shortly after the restart and that set the tone for a pulsating second half.

Roberts produced an excellent near post save to deny Payne in an end-to-end affair before Walsall found the breakthrough just past the hour-mark.

In the absence of Evan Weir who has fallen down the pecking order under Byfield, Hancock has taken centre-stage on set pieces.

His tricky free-kick bounced awkwardly in front of Matt Macey who could only parry it out to his right where Harrison Burke was lurking to squeeze in from an acute angle.

The lead would not last long: four minutes to be precise. Payne delivered the corner and Harry Anderson escaped the clutches of Pressley with relative ease to head past Roberts.

Pressley battled hard on his first start in five games as he led the line on his own with top scorer Daniel Kanu away on international duty.

The issue was that Walsall were unable to regularly get players in and around him when he did win his duels.

Walsall did still miss the pace of Kanu and his ability to stretch defences with his movement - who extended his tally to 17 goals by ending his seven-match goal drought against Newport County the previous weekend.

With Kanu back among the goals and Walsall looking much more of a threat in the final third, they will certainly be heading into the final six games with a spring in their step.

Easter weekend is likely to play a decisive role in the play-off race and Walsall have very little margin for error if they want to sneak into the top seven.

That seemed highly unlikely when Byfield took over, even if they were only three points adrift of seventh spot at the time.

Momentum was against them and the confidence appeared to be on the floor. Suddenly, Walsall look like they have character again and the change in system has enabled them to express themselves more.

The performance against Colchester was far from flawless and they almost ended the afternoon with a defeat barring a miraculous goal-line clearance from Vincent Harper.

Play had been halted due to a drone flying above the stadium just to add to the drama but there was nearly one cruel final twist.

Samson Tovide bulldozed his way into the box and slotted a goal-bound finish beyond Roberts which Harper somehow hooked clear with the majority of the ball having crossed the line.

Instead, he preserved a point, which perhaps felt a fair result, but it was without a doubt a game that Walsall were clearly determined to win.

Many would suggest that was not the case when Walsall served up turgid goalless stalemates against Accrington Stanley and Crawley Town respectively earlier in the year.

They will be disappointed not to have emerged with maximum points but it was another point on the tally which extended their unbeaten run to four games.