Jordan Cook eyes a repeat for Walsall

His double in December's 2-0 home win against Port Vale was the personal high point of his campaign and enough to send the Saddlers second in League One at the time.

Almost five months on, they now head to Vale Park looking to complete a league double which could, should Burton lost at Doncaster, put them back in the top two for good.

Cook said: "I'm hoping for the same again this time around. I remember it was a televised game and it was nice to score the goal for the fans to see us up there at Christmas.

"Whether it is one goal, two goals, I'll take anything if I come on, I obviously want to get a chance to make an impact again."

Much has changed for both Cook and the Saddlers since their first meeting with Vale, when victory marked the perfect start for new head coach Sean O'Driscoll.

In the end, it would be the first of just five league wins achieved before the 58-year-old was sacked after just 16 games in charge.

Cook himself has not started a game since January 2 but in many ways typifies the collective team spirit which presently exists.

The 26-year-old believes taking the automatic promotion battle down to the final day is testament to the "never-say-die" attitude at the club.

He said|: "If we said before season started we'd still have a chance going into the last game, I think everyone, fans, players, management, would have snapped your hands off.

"I think the most pleasing thing is that even after disappointing results we kept digging in and refused to go away.

"Now we've taken it to the last game and I think everybody deserves a massive pat on the back.

"Of course, it's out of our hands in a way but we still have to go out there and do a job and make sure we win by as many goals as we can."

The odds might be stacked against them but Cook is quick to point out that, on the last day of the season, anything can and typically does happen.

He said: "Everyone keeps saying to me, how funny things happen on the last day.

"The whole Manchester City scenario with Sergio Aguero's goal (against Queens Park Rangers in 2012) is probably the best example that anything can happen. There are freak results.

"I'm hoping that the Doncaster players will put on a performance and a lot of them could still be playing for their futures. It's exciting but we have to look after our own game first."

Whatever happens on Sunday and whichever way the cards might fall for this Walsall team, Cook believed the fact they are even in this position is something to be proud of.

He added: "For us to be in this position is amazing. It's exciting for everyone involved. To come from being a mid-table side last year to pushing the best teams in this league all the way is great.

"We've gone toe-to-toe and we're still here with a game to go. I've spent time with my family this week and all of them are saying what we've done as a group is a great achievement.

"On our budget and for the size of this club,. it's something we should be proud of but the job is not done yet. "