Walsall sweat on fitness of defender ahead of Newport trip

The 24-year-old suffered the injury during the Saddlers' 2-0 defeat at Barrow earlier this month and was forced to miss their 2-2 draw against Harrogate at Bescot on Saturday. 

"He rolled his ankle in the first half [against Barrow] and then it blew up after that," Sadler explained.

"As the game went on, I think in the last 10 or 15 minutes, he probably should've come off but we'd used our subs. 

"It shows the warrior he is that he carried on. It puts him in doubt for it [Newport on Easter Monday]. 

"We'll have to see. Obviously it's a very quick turnaround so we'll have to see whether that is enough time but that was the reason for today." 

McEntee had started each of the Saddlers' last six league fixtures prior to his injury - registering three assists in the process. 

Harry Williams was handed his first start in five games and David Okagbue was recalled to the back-line, as Walsall dropped out of the top three for the first time since September 7.

Williams' prolonged spell out of the team has drawn criticism from supporters but Sadler felt it was the right moment to bring him back into the fold.

"We felt it the right time for Harry. We felt it was the right moment to get him back into it," he added.