Walsall vs Portsmouth Preview

Can Pompey win for the first time in 14 games live on TV? Portsmouth make the journey to the midlands in a bid to halt a winless run in League One that now stretches to thirteen games. Team News Paul Benson returns to the squad after being unable to face his parent club and its likely he will replace Ashley Harris in the starting line up. Brian Howard, Gabor Gyepes and Ricardo Rocha all look set to miss out again due to injury. Former Pompey youth Florent Cuvelier will miss this game for Walsall with a hamstring injury which is now being treated back at parent club Stoke. Andy Taylor is also missing with a groin strain. The Match With Pompey televised on Sky the people of the whole world can see just how bad we are tomorrow evening if they really have nothing better to do. In truth, Pompey played fairly well at Swindon for an hour and the 5-0 scoreline was worse than the actual performance suggests. However, Walsall are improving having looked like prime relegation fodder a month ago and will fancy themselves against a ragged back four which lacks the leadership and ability of Gyepes and Rocha. Still, this is football and for that reason alone there is a chance that Pompey may get a result at the Bescot Stadium. It wasn't long ago that Hartlepool won at table topping Sheffield United and who would have predicted QPR to win at Stamford Bridge yesterday? This month looks like getting worse with player exits inevitable so it would be nice to have something to cheer about for once and lift the mood a little as the all-important court case gets ever closer. Predicted Starting Line-Ups Walsall GK: Karl DARLOW RB: Ben PURKISS CB: Andy BUTLER CB: Paul DOWNING LB: Malvind BENNING CM: James BAXENDALE CM: Adam CHAMBERS CM: Sam MANTOM RWF: Jamie PATERSON LWF: Febian BRANDY CF: Will GRIGG Pompey GK: Simon EASTWOOD RB: Mustapha DUMBUYA CB: Lubomir MICHALIK CB: Johnny ERTL LB: Adam WEBSTER RM: Scott ALLAN CM: Darel RUSSELL CM: Lee WILLIAMSON CM: Liam WALKER LM: Jon HARLEY CF: Paul BENSON Last Time: Walsall 1 Portsmouth 2 (Division One - 03/04/2003) Kevin Harper's strike and Svetoslav Todorov's header put Pompey in a comfortable position in this game. Junior pulled one back on the stroke of half time to make the second half nervy. Paul Merson missed a sitter as the Saddlers piled on the pressure but Pompey held on for the win and knocked Leicester off the top of Division One to re-take top spot as the race for promotion entered its final stage. My Prediction More suffering. It's hard to make a case for anything other than another defeat. Walsall 2 Portsmouth 0 Source: Fratton Faithful

Source: FOOTYMAD