Boss Mat Sadler urges Walsall to "sense the moment" ahead of MK Dons clash

MK Dons currently sit eight points above Walsall, although the Saddlers do boast a game in hand over them. 

A battling 2-2 draw at Grimsby Town on Wednesday night has offered renewed optimism within the Walsall camp, but Sadler admits they now need to put together a positive run. 

'We have to sense the moment' - Sadler ahead of League Two run-in

"No season just works perfectly for any team. We have to recognise where we are and sense the moment," Sadler said. 

"That's our mentality going into every game, but now we're down to the last 15 games, we have to make sure that we think about us, regardless of the opposition. 

"You can see how tight it is. It has been this way throughout the whole season and the results elsewhere on Tuesday [last week] didn't change that. 

"It will be a very tough game on Monday but we're desperate to keep challenging ourselves." 

One of the biggest issues of late has been the Saddlers' form on home soil, as they go in search of their first win at Bescot since the turn of the year. 

Time to put paid to home struggles

They are winless in four league games at WS1 and have collected just two wins in their last nine in the league on their own patch. 

"It's been a mixed bag at times for us at home," he admitted. 

"The thing to say is what an incredible impact our supporters have for us. 

"When they're behind us, they fully are that extra player on the pitch and we've seen it countless times.

"There is always that defining moment in the season when it all comes together again. 

"I fully recognise that goes hand-in-hand. We have to turn up and be on the front-foot with our performance too. 

"My only echo would be: come with us, make that noise and be purely partisan behind us. We'll see that reflected in our performance and a team that will give absolutely everything." 

Top scorer Daniel Kanu missed the draw at Blundell Park due to illness and will be monitored "very closely" ahead of the game. 

Jamille Matt will also train on Saturday after sitting out the past three games with respective hip and knee injuries. 

Grimsby draw will hopefully prove a turning point

There were calls for Sadler's sacking when Walsall lost 3-1 against Barnet on their last home fixture over a fortnight ago. 

On the criticism, Sadler concluded: "You'd send yourself barmy if you listened to everything, it's important that I do my job, which is to be a football manager. 

"I'm not stupid, I didn't enjoy that performance. So the task then is how do we get back on track. 

"There's certainly been a reshuffling of the pack in January, which has perhaps brought a little bit of uncertainty in performances. 

"On Wednesday, and in training, we saw it all coming back together again. That's the key for us, it's about focusing on our performance."