- Walsall are placed 12th in League Two with 62 points from 42 games.
- Cheltenham Town sit 19th in League Two with 43 points from 40 matches.
- Walsall are unbeaten in their last three (W1, D2) while Cheltenham have W1, D2, L2 in their last five League Two games.
Two clubs with contrasting styles face off
Walsall FC were looking up the table when coach Michael Sadler was relieved of his duties at the beginning of March 2026 but Darren Byfield’s appointment on the 11th of that month has brought a new tactical approach to the club.
The Saddlers play a high-tempo, high-energy game, which utilises the speed and energy of their wing-backs to make the opposition uncomfortable. They press high up the pitch and look to make rapid transitions between defense and attack with their attackers covering plenty of ground.
Cheltenham Town are a much more conservative team, setting up in a compact block, keeping their lines compact and pressing in a more measured way, only in numbers or if the ball is played into areas where they have a numerical advantage.
Town boss Steve Cotterill was appointed on September 30th, 2025 and has made the Robins hard to beat, organised and dangerous from set piece situations.
Walsall have the edge
Cheltenham Town edged Walsall 1-0 in their last meeting, and with a new boss and fresh ideas, Walsall should have the momentum and energy to just edge out their visitors on Saturday.
However, there will be an added edge to this fixture as Cotterill is a well-known name in these parts and Walsall are in the midst of a mini-revival under Byfield, so we think the home side are very much in with a chance at 19/25.
An open, end-to-end affair
Although both teams have shown the capability to be resolute and compact in defense, we think the nature of Walsall’s attacking intent and the fact that they are the home team will lead to an open game on Saturday.
As such, we’re taking Over 2.5 goals at 11/10 and Both Teams to Score - Yes at 91/100 for our main selections.
Who will make the difference?
Daniel Kanu top scores for Walsall this season with 15 goals in 36 League Two appearances, two of which have come in the last five, while Freddie Draper has been the ideal foil for the tall striker, linking play and getting behind defences to create space.
Cheltenham will likely set up to try and stifle Kanu and the Saddlers will be looking to exploit that with Draper’s creativity. George Lloyd has been in and out of the Robins’ team this season but has hit some important goals and created goals for others, adding bite to their attack.
Sadly, he isn’t top scorer for Town, with that honour going to Isaac Hutchinson who has scored 14 goals in 37 League Two matches, two of which have come in the last five.
