Mullen concentrating on positives

Mullen's side are now nine points off the play-off places in League One

Walsall boss Jimmy Mullen is determined to take the positives out of his side's much-improved performance in Tuesday night's 3-2 defeat against Oldham.

The Saddlers went from turning in one of their worst displays against MK Dons to narrowly losing 3-2 at the promotion-chasing Latics.

"For me, there were lots and lots of positives," Mullen told BBC WM.

"If we can go into every game and play with that commitment, drive and effort then you've got a chance to win."

Walsall led 2-1 and were looking good to take a point when they were pegged back to 2-2 before former West Brom striker Lee Hughes grabbed his second, and the winner, in the last minute.

But Mullen put a brave face on the result.

"I looked at the performances of every player and they were great," he said. " I'm disappointed for them to get kicked in the teeth like that."

The Saddlers were without three key first team players at Boundary Park. And Mullen revealed that the injury news on Clayton Ince, Jabo Ibehre and Steve Roberts is mixed.

"Clayton has a tear in the groin and that's been confirmed in a scan." he said. "What length of time he'll miss we'll have to assess.

"Jabo and Roberts trained on Tuesday as much as their injuries would allow them and we'll assess them too for Saturday."