The Harriers won their sixth game in a row today in a somewhat less than thrilling game against a poor York City side with goals from James Constable and a first of the season for Michael Blackwood. The three points gained was clouded slightly by a tenth booking of the season for Russ Penn - he will now miss two games, against Altrincham and Tamworth - and a bad looking injury to Iyseden Christie's foot that will see him almost certainly missing Tuesday nights game against Stafford.
That game could also be the last for Constable in a Harriers shirt unless Mark Yates can pull something out of the hat and keep him at Aggborough for a wee bit longer. The talk at Walsall is that he will be re-called to Bescot for a few games at least before deciding where his future lies.
If we are without both of those influential players, and Russ Penn, for the Tamworth game then I worry about our play-off chances with Andy White and Luke Reynolds as our main strikeforce. Sorry guys but you're not in the same league as Christie and Constable.
The game kicked off with the referee 'imposing' his authority on City right from the off as they set out their stall by clattering Christie within the first minute of the game. Understandably with the game only a minute gone a simple talking to the York defender was the right thing to do but when the same player offended again, twice, within the next five minutes a card should have been shown.
As it was it took until ten minutes for the ref to 'get tough' and he brandished a yellow at Darren Craddock after yet another vicious tackle left Christie on the floor. For some reason he ignored all the other fouls from York for the remainder of the half including a shoulder barge on Stuart Whitehead that should have been penalised.
We opened the scoring in the twelth minute of the game when the City keeper was spotted handling the ball outside of the area by the East Stand. They drew the lino's attention to it and the ref awarded a free kick that was taken by Jeff Kenna.
His kick beat the wall but Constable was lurking near to the far post to turn it into the net for his ninth goal in ten games. A remarkable scoring rate but one that should be overlooked, and ignored, by any watching Walsall scouts.
We should have been two goals to the good just minutes later when Christie spotted the keeper off his line and sent a header curving over him and onto the cross bar.
City did have some chances during the first period but Scotty Bevan was as sure as ever in the Harriers goal and kept out attempts from Emmanuel Panther and Neil Bishop.
Just before the break we had the ball in the net from a Constable header but he was narrowly offside and the referee ruled it out. With just seconds left Christie was kicked on the foot by a York defender and he hobbled to the touchline with his game over and in tatters.