Team News From The Walsall Camp

Last updated : 02 October 2009 By Thetashkentterror
Darren Byfield
Saddlers frontman Darren Byfield spoke to the official Walsall website about his side's match against Carlisle at the Banks's Stadium tomorrow, Byfield suggesing that United have plenty of experience in the team :

"They are a decent side with some good, experienced players, the likes of Richard Keogh, who I played alongside at Bristol City, Graham Kavanagh and Scott Dobie have plenty of know-how between them and are a real threat at this level..

"As such it will be a tough game; they got a great result at Leeds in the week and we know only too well how tough this League is this season. We need to be mentally prepared for it and give our supporters something to cheer about.

"The fans have such an important role to play here; I love playing at the Banks's Stadium and hope that we can get the numbers back to create a great atmosphere that can only help the team.

"It's great to be back at the club and I am really enjoying it. It was important to get that first home win under our belt on Tuesday because the longer it went on without winning, the more of an issue it would have become. We've got to build on that and make the Banks's Stadium a fortress, starting on Saturday."



Meanwhile midfielder Dwayne Mattis agreed with Byfield about the home form of the Saddlers, Mattis telling the official Walsall website :

"You see the negative statistics about games without a home win but, honestly, it doesn't affect you as players but we know that our home form has to be better if we are to do anything in this league. We've got that first home win under our belts now and we've got to be aiming at going on an unbeaten run here at the Banks's.

"It's early days, so a couple of result boosts you right up the table. We have got to make this place a fortress if we want to do anything in this league. We've got to make it hard for teams to come here and take points from us. This is our home and we've got to win more games at home. Simple as that."




In team news for the Saddlers four of their midfielders have been injured recently, the first of those in Richard Taudry is still sidelined with hamstring problems, while Peter Till has only just returned to training following his own hamstring problem.

Richard Davies is available for selection though as he has recovered from an ankle knock picked up in a reserve team win over Shrewsbury in mid-September. But Manny Smith is out as he has only just joined in training again following a knee injury.

Finally defender Stephen Roberts will also miss the game as he been in and out of the Saddlers side recently with an ongoing back problem. On-loan Manchester City defender Clayton McDonald has recovered from flu-like symptoms though and he is available in the last game of his temporary spell away from Eastlands, Walsall manager Chris Hutchings commenting to the Express and Star on McDonald :

"We've spoken to Manchester City, we're trying to extend it and that's on-going at this moment in time. Certainly one month, possibly another one, is part of our discussion. I've spoken to the lad and he wants to stay. It's just a matter of getting everything sorted."




The referee for tomorrow's match is Steven Cook from Woking in Surrey, and he will be assisted down the lines by Peter Gooch from Wigan and Andrew Scregg from Merseyside. Meanwhile the fourth official is Rob Merchant from Stockton Brook in Staffordshire.