Mat Sadler sends out 'key' warning to his Walsall players ahead of Gateshead FA Cup tie

Sadler's troops have already negotiated one potentially tricky tie having won 3-0 at Eastleigh, also of a division below, in the first round.

The head coach insists staying in the moment and focusing on the challenge at hand - rather than looking at a possible FA Cup glamour tie or League Two challenges ahead - is crucial in being on the wrong side of an upset.

"I think it's key in every single game that you play - trying to focus on being you and then the game that you're playing next. That's it, that's all I think about," Sadler said.

"We'll just focus on us, the way that we want to play against a good team.

"We're going to have to be right on top of our game going away to them. It's definitely always going to be a tough game."

Sadler, whose league leaders are 44 places above the north east hosts in the pyramid, added: "It is just the case of taking every single bit by its merit in the way that it is exactly the same in the league. It's exciting, we're excited to want to play again.

"I think it's very, very dangerous to look too far ahead in football. For us Sunday is our main priority as you would expect it to be. It's our next game and it's a really important game. We're looking very much square, front and centre onto the weekend.

"I've used more than 20 players this season, maybe 22 or 23 players. You want everyone champing at the bit to be the ones that start and then the ones that finish, that's exactly what you want."

Walsall will be without defender Harrison Burke and striker Aaron Pressley for the tie. Burke has had a setback on his knee injury and will miss another month.