Walsall 1 Huddersfield Town 1

Florent Cuvelier made sure Walsall were safe before giving a thought to his own future.

Cuvelier, 19, scored his fourth goal for the League One strugglers in the 49th minute to help keep the Saddlers in League One with one game to spare.

Belgian U-21 midfielder Cuvelier met defender Mat Sadler's cross from the right and then skipped past defender Sean Morrison before drilling home his fourth goal of the campaign.

 And with other results going their way, Walsall can now relax and play the final game knowing the equaliser has helped secure League One football next season.

Classy midfielder Cuvelier joined the Saddlers on loan from Stoke in January, but revealed his deal with the Premiership side ends this June. He said:

"It was always my dream to play in England. I had the opportunity to join Portsmouth when I was fifteen and I took it knowing I might not get another chance. 

I hope that Stoke will give me a new contract, but I'm quite relaxed about it. Tony Pulis said he is pleased with the way I've been playing and progressing which is nice to hear. 

But the only thing I've been thinking about is making sure Walsall stayed up. I'm so happy for the fans, players, the staff, the manager - everybody.

This experience can only help me. I've learned how to for a win, play with pressure and fight to stay in the league at a young age. I definitely became a better player.

I knew from the start that we would stay up. Everybody's had the right attitude on the training ground and on the pitch."

Relieved Walsall manager Dean Smith admitted his team have under-performed and said:

"It's been a case of fine margins this season. We've had to keep plugging away and showing belief and we've done that. It's a success that we're staying in the league, but not one we really want to celebrate. The reality is that the club has been fighting relegation and we should have been better than that."

Lee Novak had opened the scoring for the visitors as Huddersfield warmed up for the play-offs.

Terriers boss Simon Grayson rested four players and left 38 goal hit man Jordan Rhodes on the bench, but strike partner Novak took less than two minutes to put the visitors ahead.

Midfielder Scott Arfield deftly scooped the ball over the defence and Novak buried his sixteenth goal of the season from just inside the box.

Winger Alex Nicholls should have pulled Walsall level three minutes after Novak's opener, but fluffed a sixteen yard effort by firing a low shot straight at keeper Ian Bennett.

And Nicholls should have scored a winner in the 94th minute when he dragged a shot wide of the far post from sixteen yards, but by then Cuvelier's goal had proved enough to edge Walsall to safety.

And Grayson revealed he is preparing to unleash his star man in the play-off games. He said:

"Jordan was quite happy with the decision because he has carried the goal scoring burden for the club this season. We gave him a breather and we may do the same next week and then he will be ready.

We now want to finish the season I front of our own fans on a positive note when we take on Yeovil next week.

This was a contrasting performance. We started very well, but in the second half we were a bit sloppy and let them back into it."

My clipping from this morning's paper

My clipping from the Sunday paper

Walsall v Huddersfield Town

I'll be at Walsall's final home game of the season tomorrow to see them take on Huddersfield and - depending on results - Dean Smith's boys could guarantee themselves League One football ... or find themselves right back in the relegation mix.

You'd think that with the Terriers' play-off place assured, they may just take their foot off the gas a little. Yeah, you'd think.

Unfortunately I suspect boss Simon Grayson will have his side fired up and will want them going into the end of season knockout on a high.

And why would hot shot Jordan Rhodes want to take things easy now when there are still goals to be had?

Rhodes, 22, has found the net on 38 occasions this season, but is currently going through a major drought. Well, four games, and no doubt everyone at the Bescot will hope that run has stretched to five by tomorrow evening. Well they can hope. Rhodes longest barren spell this season (back in September) has been five games.

I saw this lad at Wycombe in the first week of the year when the Chairboys were stuffed 6-0 and Rhodes picked up five of those goals. It was a good team performance that night, but also the best display I've seen by a striker all season.

Fans of the Saddlers will be wondering which team will turn up tomorrow.

I have been fortunate enough to see Walsall's last two wins against Colchester and Chesterfield, but, worryingly, they've lost the last three matches.

One of those was against champions Charlton - and so no disgrace there. But then they followed that up with defeats to Tranmere and Exeter - two ties they really should have won.

It should be a nervy afternoon tomorrow and - like me - I suspect their will be a huge number of fans getting updates on their phones from Adams Park where relegation rivals Wycombe are taking on Notts County.

Fortunately for Walsall, County are still in with a shout of a play-off place and so the players won't be daydreaming about their summer hols. Unfortunately for Walsall, Wycombe have shown they can mix it with most teams this season even if the results haven't always gone for them.

It should be interesting and whichever way it goes I suspect the Black Country pubs will be busy tomorrow evening.

Bristol City 2 Barnsley 0

Jon Stead believes City will bounce back stronger after their horror campaign.

Stead scored in the 51st minute to seal the win and the club's Championship status for next term.

Central defender Jim McNulty up-ended City full back Ryan McGivern and Stead celebrated his Player of the Season award - on the back of only sixteen starts - by converting the penalty for his sixth goal of the campaign.

Former Sunderland striker Stead, 29, reckons the club have a backbone of good characters and expects his team mates to learn from the experience of fighting relegation for most of the season. He said:

"When you're having the sort of season we've had, you look around and ask who you'd have in the trenches with you and there are a lot of lads here who are hungry to play and even hungry to play in difficult situations. It's a good dressing room and I'm proud to be part of it.

You hope that you don't have to go into these sort of games too often in your career, but it does people the world of good if you learn to produce under pressure, it's going to put you I good stead in the future. I've seen it a few times in my career and you've got to keep confidence in what you're doing."

Local lad Cole Skuse, 26, put the Robins ahead in the eleventh minute with his second goal in two games after playing a one-two with striker Chris Wood and slotting home from about twelve yards. The midfielder suffered a knock and was subbed just before the break, but said afterwards:

"I started to think I'd never score this season, but they couldn't have come a a better time. I'm really pleased for everyone at the club."

Stead should have grabbed another just before the hour mark when he met winger Albert Adomah's low cross from the right, but keeper David Button did superbly to tip the striker's eight yard, point blank shot onto the bar.

And Button shut out City again with eight minutes left when he beat away a shot from a tight angle from substitute Neil Kilkenny.

Barnsley didn't look like a team that have only won one in fourteen games as they dominated the first half and Skuse's opener came against the run of play.

Midfielders Nathan Doyle and Kallum Higginbotham both came close with long range efforts in the first ten minutes and skipper Stephen Foster nodded narrowly wide from eight yards in the 26th minute.

Adomah had a chance two minutes earlier, but his low 20 yard strike was comfortably stopped by Button.

City manager Derek McInnes was relieved he had steered the club clear of relegation with one game remaining despite seeing a nervy first half performance and said:

"The players deserve huge credit for going on a seven-match unbeaten run when it mattered most. Staying up means so much to so many people.

But the hard work is only just beginning. I know how big this club can be and I want the next celebration here to be one brought about by promotion."

Tykes boss Keith Hill is now focusing on rebuilding his squad in the summer and said:

"To retain our Championship status, even though we were favourites to go down a the start of the season is enormous, but we've got to build and make sure we recruit the right players. I'm enjoying it. I'm the right man for the job."

My clipping from this morning's paper

... and yesterday's effort

Swindon Town 1 Plymouth Argyle 0

Alan Connell's thoughts were fully with grieving boss Paolo di Canio despite moving Swindon to within a point of promotion.
 Substitute Connell slotted home his twelfth goal of the season in the 85th minute to edge the Robins closer to League One, but his winner was overshadowed by news of the death of his manager's mother, Pierina, on Friday night.
 Other results prevented Swindon from clinching promotion, but Connell said:
 "The manager is an emotional and passionate man and promotion celebrations would have been very low key in the circumstances."
 And the former Ipswich striker revealed that di Canio's loss had brought back memories of his own mother's death. He said:
 "We knew his mum was sadly very close to passing away. I've been there myself unfortunately, three years ago, and it's the worst time of anyone's life. I understand what he's going through, it's difficult.  I think of my mum often and it was quite surreal to think I might have helped someone in that situation, having been there myself. I hope he takes some comfort from the fact that we won the game and are on the brink of promotion, but it brings it back for me as well."
 Di Canio wore a black armband during the game and left to be with his family in Italy immediately after the final whistle.
Swindon's Interim Chairman Jeremy Wray explained: 
 "Paolo sadly got the news on Friday night that his mother had passed away. I think it says a lot about the character of the man that he was able to lead the team following such sad news. He was obviously very emotional, but he was determined to see the game through."
 Di Canio's father, Ignazio, died days before the away fixture at Plymouth last October and Wray continued:
"It's extraordinary. Very sad. His mother has been ill for some time and Paolo managed to fly out to see her on Wednesday before flying back to take training on Thursday and watch the game which shows what a consummate professional he is. I have told him to take as much time as he needs. He is the consummate professional and I am sure he will have been pleased with the efforts of the players."
 It was a day of very mixed emotions at the County Ground after skipper Alan McCormack was called away Just before kick-off to be with his wife who gave birth to a baby girl during the afternoon.
 But McCormack didn't miss too much action on the pitch in what was an uneventful affair. Swindon had the better chances in a poor first half.
 In the sixth minute striker Paul Benson out jumped the Argyle defence to meet a cross from full back Paul Caddis, but saw his header fly off the top of the bar. Central defender
Aden Flint and midfielder Simon Ferry also came close before the break. Swindon substitute Jonathan Smith fired just wide five minutes before Connell's goal and Rooney had an appeal for handball waved away, but the lack of quality on the pitch mattered little by the end of the afternoon.
 Meanwhile, Plymouth boss Carl Fletcher has targeted next weekend's game against Oxford for the three points needed to guarantee survival. He said:
 "It's in our hands' that's a pleasing thing - we win next week and it takes care of itself. That's a great incentive to us this week - to go into next week's game at home with the opportunity to be mathematically safe. We'll be looking forward to it."

My clipping from Sunday

My report from Monday's paper

Wycombe and Walsall - Which team will survive?

I've been fortunate enough to see a few games involving Wycombe and Walsall recently and with four games to go, I still have hopes that both clubs will survive the drop.

Walsall now find themselves better positioned to do so and are four points clear of Wycombe who occupy that last relegation place.

The Chairboys did themselves no favours against Chesterfield on Monday and when I saw the result come through while reporting on the Oxford game, I was left wondering whether the Wycombe boys had been a little complacent.

Chesterfield are rock bottom and going down. I saw them lose to Walsall on Saturday and you could see the steam coming out of manager John Sheridan's ears in the press conference afterwards. No doubt he told a few of his players that they weren't just playing for a job next season, but - given the precarious nature of football - their careers in league football. Whatever he said, it seems to have worked as they gave Wycombe a good old 4-0 tonking.

Gary Waddock will hope that his lads can bounce back in the same manner when they take on Oldham this weekend.

Oldham are by no means out of the woods themselves and - along with Orient - will be looking nervously over their shoulders. A win for Wycombe could cause panic in the small town in Lancashire with three games left.

Having taken a look at the remaining fixtures, I have made some predictions below which sees both Wycombe and Walsall fans checking out the League One fixture lists again next season and Oldham going down.

Of course there are so many unknowns at this time of the season and my last day prediction of a point for the Chairboys at Sheffield Wednesday presumes that Sheffield United will already have won promotion to the Championship - leaving thee Owls to take their feet of the gas in preparation for the play-offs.

Then again, will Notts County be scrapping tooth and nail to get into the play-offs when they visit Adams Park on April 28th?

Sat 14 Apr  15:00
Walsall v Tranmere	Walsall win
Wycombe v Oldham	Wycombe win
Sheff Utd v Leyton Orient	Orient defeat
Sat 21 Apr  15:00
Charlton v Wycombe	Wycombe defeat
Leyton Orient v Yeovil	Orient draw
Exeter v Walsall	Walsall win
Oldham v Preston	Oldham draw
Sat 28 Apr  15:00
Hartlepool v Leyton Orient	Orient defeat
Walsall v Huddersfield	Walsall draw
Wycombe v Notts County	Wycombe win
Bury v Oldham	Bury win
Sat 5 May  15:00
Leyton Orient v Rochdale	Orient win
Oldham v Carlisle	Oldham defeat
MK Dons v Walsall	Walsall defeat
Sheff Wed v Wycombe	Wycombe draw

Oxford United 2 Torquay United 2

Taiwo Atieno's last gasp goal to kept ten man Torquay on the road to automatic promotion.

Super sub striker Atieno's blistering 90th minute twenty yard drive was diverted into his own net by keeper Ryan Clarke.

It was Kenya international Atieno's fifth goal of the season.

The Gulls were trailing by a goal and looked to be up against it in the 79th minute when winger Ian Morris was dismissed following a second booking.

Harry Worley's gaff had given Torquay a 17th minute lead.

Central defender Worley fell over attempting a back pass and striker Rene Howe nipped in to slot home his 14th goal of the campaign from just inside the box.

 

Adam Chapman scored his first league goal directly from a corner and the freak 59th minute equaliser galvanised Oxford.

And winger Cristian Montano kept the U's play-off hopes back on track nine minutes later when he nodded in a cross from full back Damian Batt in the last game of his current loan deal from West Ham.

Torquay boss Martin Ling revealed that Austrian stopper Bobby Olejnik had taken the blame for Chapman's goal. He said:

"He accepted it was his fault, but to be fair it's the first mistake he's made this season. 

Down to ten men, 2-1 down, I've got to be relieved with the point."

Oxford manager Chris Wilder said:

"it's a bitter sweet feeling. We murdered a good side in the second half and to only get a point is disappointing." 

My clipping from this morning's paper

Walsall 3 Chesterfield 2

Sam Mantom is happy for Emmanuel Ledesma to take the plaudits if it means Walsall beat the drop.

Mantom scored a 58th minute winner to move the Saddlers up the League One table and leave Chesterfield adrift at the bottom, but scheming striker Ledesma caught the eye with a first half brace.

West Brom loanee midfielder and local lad Mantom, 20, said:

"Emmanuel's skilful and tricky and gives us something different. I'll do the dirty work and he can take all the glory as long as we stay up. Besides that's the first time I've scored a winning goal and so I'm happy.

I last played here when I was twelve and so I have a personal interest in seeing them do well. No-one hates Walsall and so I think fans of all the local clubs would like to see them stay up."

Ledesma, 23, returned home to Argentina last summer for family reasons, but has now scored four goals in four starts in his second spell at the Bescot and revealed:

"Walsall is my second home now. I'm here for two months, but would like to sign a longer contract and stay. I've done well so far, but couldn't do it without my team mates."

Franck Moussa, 23, opened the scoring for the Spireites in the 20th minute and fellow midfielder Mark Randall gave the bottom club brief hope with a 54th minute equaliser, but boss John Sheridan knows the club are doomed and said:

"If I'm here next season there'll be big changes."

Walsall manager Dean Smith admitted:

"We were average, but it was the result that mattered." 

My clippings from both yesterday (top) and today

Wycombe Wanderers 1 Carlisle United 1

Stuart Lewis rescued a dramatic last-gasp point for injury time 'Houdinis' Wycombe. 
Play-off contenders Carlisle looked to have sealed the points before midfielder Lewis picked the perfect time to net his first goal of the season.
Striker Stuart Beavon's 91st minute flick landed perfectly for Lewis to rifle home from twenty yards and secure a stoppage time equaliser for the third game on the bounce.
Grant Basey's freak 62nd minute own goal looked as though it would be enough to guarantee a win for the visitors.
Striker Francois Zoko's low cross was hit against the bar by winger Jon-Paul McGovern, but the rebound struck the unfortunate Basey on the chest and went in from six yards.
Wycombe were lucky not to go behind three minutes earlier when winger Chris Hackett bundled over midfielder Liam Noble in the box, but referee Rob Lewis inexplicably waved play on.
Carlisle could also have scored twice in the third minute.
Wycombe stopper Nikki Bull blocked Zoko's shot from a tight angle before Hackett was forced to clear an effort off the line from central defender Peter Murphy.
But visiting keeper Adam Collin also needed to be at his best in the first half to turn Beavon's low 20 yard drive past the post and block Ben Strevens's goal bound shot with his feet.
And three minutes before the break Carlisle striker Lee Miller was left red-faced after sending McGovern's cross over the bar from eight yards.
Relieved Wycombe boss Gary Waddock joked: "We only play in the last minute. We played well enough to get something out of the game and it was a great strike - an absolute beaut."
Carlisle manager Greg Abbott groaned: "It's always horrible and feels like a defeat when you concede a goal late in the game like that."

My clipping from Saturday's paper

Bristol City 1 Derby County 1

Brett Pitman secured a vital point and also claimed City have the characters to beat the drop.

Pitman struck with only his second touch of the game, but the Robins are showing real relegation form and have won only once in thirteen outings.

Striker Pitman came on in the 72nd minute and two minutes later fed winger Albert Adomah on the right before firing in the return pass from twenty yards for his seventh goal of the campaign.   

Derby were in full control before Pitman's introduction and Scotland international Craig Bryson, 25, had opened the scoring in the 20th minute.

Fellow central midfielder Jeff Hendrick sent over a low cross from the right and Bryson casually tapped in his fifth goal of the season from eight yards.

But Derby went looking for the win after Pitman's equaliser and City keeper Dean Gerken needed to be alert.

With twelve minutes remaining striker Theo Robinson forced Gerken to make a save from a low shot.

One minute later Gerken palmed away a shot from Steve Davies and then with three minutes left the City stopper was forced to beat away a drive from Hendrick.

Derby could have stretched their first half lead.

In the 31st minute, but Steve Davies's header was ruled offside following winger Ben Davies's free kick.

And Bryson nearly added to his opener in the first period, but curled a shot just wide of the post after another Ben Davies free kick had been half cleared by the City defence. 

Pitman is City's leading scoring with seven goals in only ten starts, but has been a regular in the dugout and said:

"You need to stay positive and hope that when you come on you get the chance to make an impact and that's how it turned out."

And the hotshot revealed:

"Everyone's ready to stand up and be counted and there's no-one in our team or dressing room who doesn't want to play. We're all sticking together and no-one's shying away.

It's been a scrap for a few weeks now and we know the situation and we're all pulling in the same direction - the manager, the coaching staff and the players.

It's probably easier for a forward to show that he's standing up to be counted by scoring, but people don't notice a midfielder making a tackle or a defender making a last ditch tackle."

Craig Bryson and Jeff Hendrick bossed the midfield for most of the game and the duo linked up for Derby's 20th minute opener.

Bryson tapped in Hendrick's low cross for his fifth goal of the campaign, but manager Nigel Clough admitted his thoughts were already turning to next season. He said:

"I don't think there's been a realistic hope of the play-offs for some time. We're looking to build on this momentum for next season. It's amazing how often you can carry over form from one season to another despite a three month break.

City boss Derek McInnes was relieved with the draw, but admitted:

"I think that we've played a lot better this season and lost. It wasn't a performance where we were anywhere near our best. It was one highlight of quality that got us a point.

We didn't ask enough questions of Derby who had a lot of energy in midfield, but the players are honest enough to admit they can do better than that."

My clippings from Sunday (top) and Monday