Blackburn Rovers (H) 24th Feb, 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

"I read the news today, oh boy,
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire,
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all......."

(Lennon/McCartney)

Under the weather this week, so probably a shortened match preview ..... we know that Tony Mowbray's Blackburn Rovers are top of League One, scrapping with The Sloppies and Wigan Athletic for the coveted automatic promotion spots. They have a highly effective strike force headed by Bradley Dack and Adam Armstrong, and are strong enough in midfield to relegate ex-Saddler Paul Downing to the substitutes bench in their most recent game. No team has won more matches than Blackburn Rovers, and similarly no team has lost less - so it's obviously a tough fixture on paper. And yet ...... as their recent form shows, they are not invulnerable, just ask Plymouth Argyle:-

27 Jan Northampton Town (H) Drew 1-1
30 Jan Walsall (H) Won 3-1
3 Feb Plymouth Argyle (A) Lost 2-0
10 Feb Oldham Athletic (H) Drew 2-2
13 Feb Portsmouth (A) Won 1-2
19 Feb Bury (H) Won 2-0

Jon Whitney may (or may not) have the services of loanee Krystian Bielik to call upon and it is surely the defence that JW will need to concentrate upon, bearing in mind Blackburn Rovers' scoring record this season (there's another statistic - no team has scored more League One goals than Rovers!). Young Fitzwater has certainly been a positive addition to the squad, but our newly signed-up keeper (renewal) Liam Roberts will probably have to be on top form for this one as he was at Ewood Park recently, keeping the score to a relatively respectable 3-1 defeat.

Prediction? I can't see us winning this one, and for me a 1-1 draw would be good enough - Ngoy (if fit to play) to score.

[Walsallone]

Sorry to see you are not well...hope you soon feel better. I agree a draw is possibly the best we can do but you never know...........UTS

[scott_powell]

Think we'll win you know. 2-0. Just hope we go at them and don't sit back (lets be honest, we're going to sit back).

[SoccerHQ]

Draw would be a very good result here.

Blackburn have been on an incredible run last three months, think only team to beat them were Plymouth who are on a great run themselves.

[tinned]

Think we'll win you know. 2-0. Just hope we go at them and don't sit back (lets be honest, we're going to sit back).

Us taking the lead will probably make it difficult for us, a la Northampton away.

[scott_powell]

Think we'll win you know. 2-0. Just hope we go at them and don't sit back (lets be honest, we're going to sit back).

Us taking the lead will probably make it difficult for us, a la Northampton away.

Very true Tinned!! Lets hope we don't score first then :(

[chestersaddler]

Think we'll win you know. 2-0. Just hope we go at them and don't sit back (lets be honest, we're going to sit back).

Us taking the lead will probably make it difficult for us, a la Northampton away.

Very true Tinned!! Lets hope we don't score first then :(

Might be difficult to win 2-0 if we don't :wink:

[saddlersjse]

Everyone needs to score before everyone else.

0-2.

[scott_powell]

Think we'll win you know. 2-0. Just hope we go at them and don't sit back (lets be honest, we're going to sit back).

Us taking the lead will probably make it difficult for us, a la Northampton away.

Very true Tinned!! Lets hope we don't score first then :(

Might be difficult to win 2-0 if we don't :wink:

Makes you realise how stupid Whitney's comments are

[chunkster]

I have a sneaky suspicion that we will get something from this, going to say 2-1 but I would be very happy with a draw :D

[hullsaddler]

Think we'll win you know. 2-0. Just hope we go at them and don't sit back (lets be honest, we're going to sit back).

Us taking the lead will probably make it difficult for us, a la Northampton away.

But if we can leave it until the 93rd or 94th minute before scoring then we won't have to suffer the disadvantage of being in front for too long!

[NEWPORT SADDLERS DAD]

First win in our play off campaign.Whitney carried on adoring fans shoulder's up the Broadway.

[Walsallnil]

My last match this season before hip replacement, so, under the influence of painkillers, 4-3 to the mighty Saddlers!

[Kevlar]

My last match this season before hip replacement, so, under the influence of painkillers, 4-3 to the mighty Saddlers!

You'll still probably re-appear at the Banks's before Bielik.

[PT]

Looking forward to the match tomorrow. Not least because most of the seats in the ground will be occupied - just!

Boils my piss a bit the way we do away tickets for games like this. Have a couple of thousand sell those, have a few hundred more sell those, have a hundred more and still there will be people who want to come to the football match between Walsall and Blackburn tomorrow who can’t come because they support Blackburn and they have sold out despite there being over 5,000 empty seats in stadium with an 11,500 capacity.

Should have given them 3,200 tickets off the bat. Away end, half the family stand and blocks P and Q of the main stand. About 7 Walsall fans slightly inconvenienced, no faffing about and more chance of everyone who wants to come to the football match between Walsall and Blackburn being able to come. The slight financial upside not really the point.

Anyway, we’ll lose but it won’t be the end of the world.

[Exile]

1-2 defeat. No fudge given. Geordiesaddler to return home late with a pint of milk.

[Ancient Moaner]

Notwithstanding that some upstart relegation candidates should upset my 'new roof' bet, I still want us to win!
Should be like a home match for the Blackburn fans, not hard to make a noise in a morgue!
But regrettably I don't think we will, and I'll go along with the consensus of a 1-2 defeat.
Wonder if Whitney will give that new kid a chance up front, Bakykoko I think his name is, reports say he's not quite 'up' to 3rd Division footy yet, but I think he should be at least given a chance at last! Sod these Premiershite reserves, just stick 'em on the bench!

[Guest]

I think I'll go with the other consensus of a 2-0 win. :shock:

[Optimistic]

Looking forward to the match tomorrow. Not least because most of the seats in the ground will be occupied - just!

Boils my piss a bit the way we do away tickets for games like this. Have a couple of thousand sell those, have a few hundred more sell those, have a hundred more and still there will be people who want to come to the football match between Walsall and Blackburn tomorrow who can’t come because they support Blackburn and they have sold out despite there being over 5,000 empty seats in stadium with an 11,500 capacity.

Should have given them 3,200 tickets off the bat. Away end, half the family stand and blocks P and Q of the main stand. About 7 Walsall fans slightly inconvenienced, no faffing about and more chance of everyone who wants to come to the football match between Walsall and Blackburn being able to come. The slight financial upside not really the point.

Anyway, we’ll lose but it won’t be the end of the world.

Spot on there PT, I don't mean the piss bit I am still cringing about that, I mean the seating arrangements. It would also avoid having away fans sat among home fans.

[SaigonSaddler]

2-2

[Mike Vale]

2-1. Own goal and Chambers. Good luck to the guy having the hip replacement. I’ve had one of them. It will transform your life for the better. I’m more sure about that than my score prediction !!!

[Welsh_Saddler]

Starting line-up against Blackburn Rovers:

Roberts

Fitzwater
Devlin
Guthrie
Leahy

Edwards
Chambers
Dobson
Morris

Oztumer
Shaibu

Substitutes: Gillespie, Cuvelier, Kinsella, Flanagan, Kouhyar, Roberts, Ngoy

Armstrong starts for Blackburn Rovers, but no sign of Bradley Dack .... Paul Downing on their bench.

[chunkster]

No sign of Baka? :shock:

[Welsh_Saddler]

Goals scarce today, so far .... however,

Wigan Athletic 1 Rochdale 0 (12 min)

Bury 1 Gillingham 0

[Welsh_Saddler]

Whoops!! 16 minutes, and it's Walsall 0 Blackburn Rovers 1 :( :(

Fleetwood Town 0 M K Dons 1 (19 min)

[Guest]

I think I'll go with the other consensus of a 2-0 win. :shock:

So much for that prediction...

[Welsh_Saddler]

2-0 win could be correct, except that it's now 0-2 !!! :( :( :( :(

Same sort of thing at Gigg Lane - Bury 2 Gillingham 0

[chunkster]

I think I'll go with the other consensus of a 2-0 win. :shock:

So much for that prediction...

It's the other way round :|

[Welsh_Saddler]

Plymouth Argyle 1 Bradford City 0 (35 min)

Rotherham Utd 0 Doncaster Rovers 1

Portsmouth 0 Blackpool 1 :shock:

Rovers rattle the Walsall woodwork, 37 min ...... :(

[Welsh_Saddler]

The great comeback???? Walsall 1 Blackburn Rovers 2 (42 min) :) Jack Fitzwater !!!!!! :D :D

Half-time and it's 1-2 ..... everything to play for.