Latics aim for a Walsall victory

ON SONG: Athletic defender James Wilson is back to his best.

ATHLETIC'S mean defence is sure to be tested tomorrow by a crack Walsall front line, but manager John Sheridan has every confidence in his players.

In the last five outings, only Rochdale has breached a solid back four as Sheridan's men have inched themselves closer to the safety zone in Sky Bet League One. Highly-rated Saddlers stars Romaine Sawyers and Tom Bradshaw are bound to test that record tomorrow, with Walsall still pushing for a promotion spot.

While some have pointed to the influence of Anthony Gerrard, Sheridan had high praise for his defensive colleague James Wilson.

“I don’t think it is all about Anthony Gerrard,” Sheridan said. “James Wilson has been excellent since I have been here so let’s give him credit. I like Anthony and he is aggressive and vocal. But let’s give credit to the other players. It’s about the team; if you keep clean sheets, you have a chance of

winning games. The team keeps clean sheets — not just the back four.”

Sheridan insisted Athletic have nothing to fear from Jon Whitney’s side tomorrow as he eyes up jumping out of the bottom-four: “They are confident and pass it around, and they have two decent players up front. We will sort that as best we can, but what I am trying to do at the moment is concentrate on us. I want belief that we can win games.

"If results go our way, we could jump four places. That wasn't happening two, three or four weeks ago and it is good for us.”