"We have a duty" - Darren Byfield issues rallying cry ahead of Walsall's clash against Cheltenham

Walsall are winless in three games and were cut six points adrift of the League Two play-off places, after Swindon Town condemned Byfield to his first defeat in interim charge on Easter Monday.

The Saddlers are targeting maximum points from their remaining four games and Byfield has refused to give up on their play-off goal until it’s mathematically impossible.

‘We will keep pushing’ - Byfield on Walsall’s play-off chances

“The odds are against us but that doesn’t mean we’re stopping what we’re trying to do,” Byfield said.

“We know we have to win games. So Saturday - let’s win and let’s see where we are.

“Then we address the next game. It’s not mathematically impossible and while that is the case, we will keep pushing for the play-offs.

“You can’t dwell on the past, but you still have to look at the past to make sure we can be positive moving forward.

“Even if that wasn’t the case, we still have a duty to perform for our fans both home and away.

“We need to let them know that we’re giving our all to win games of football for the money they spend and the time they put into travelling.”

“I’m not going to blame” - Byfield defends Harper

Vincent Harper issued an apology on social media after his error during the defeat at the County Ground, which provided the Robins with a springboard to complete a late comeback.

On the incident, Byfield countered: “Vincent has been superb for us this season and he’s a really good defender.

“He has played many times at right-back for Exeter. He did the same for us coming on against Crewe and the same at Colchester when he cleared it off the line.

“It’s a team game so I’m not going to blame it on Vinny. These things happen.”

Byfield made no fewer than seven games at Swindon and had also used his three substitution slots when Harper replaced a fatigued Connor Barrett in the 79th-minute.

‘You don’t always get your subs right’

Although keen not to dwell on the previous game, Byfield admitted that his substitutions did not have the desired effect, but countered that they have done in previous games.

“At Swindon, we went to a three at the end, but we had to use single subs,” he elaborated.

“I felt comfortable and thought we would win, but it was too late to change it because we didn’t have another opportunity to make more changes.

“We live and we learn and it’s a case that you see these subs happen at the elite level.

“It happens at any level whether you’re experienced or not. You don’t always get your subs right.

“They went for it and on the day it worked for them. We’ve done it before against Crewe and Newport and it went for us on those occasions.

“So we have to make sure that we keep doing the right things and being positive.”

Alex Pattison (hamstring) has been ruled out - while Priestley Farquharson, Alfie Chang and Jamille Matt (all knee) are also injury doubts.