Two Birmingham City players are involved in the end-of-season promotion lottery in League Two
Alfie Chang celebrates the first goal of his professional career
There is a Birmingham City feel to the Walsall team chasing promotion from League Two.
The Saddlers were miles clear at the top of League Two in January, 12 points to be exact, before Stoke City’s decision to recall prolific striker Nathan Lowe derailed their season.
Walsall won three of their final 21 matches having won 18 of their first 25. They were dealt another blow on the final day of the season when a goal scored by Blues’ George Hall had Walsall on course to finish third before a last-gasp winner for Bradford City consigned them to the play-offs.
The play-offs started perfectly for the Saddlers though, thanks in no small part to their other Blues loanee, Alfie Chang.
Having played a minute of football in his first two-and-a-half months at Walsall, Chang has emerged as a mainstay in their starting line-up in the past month.
He scored his first professional goal to put Walsall 2-0 up at Chesterfield in the first leg of their play-off semi-final on Sunday, and that’s how it stayed.
Walsall boss Mat Sadler, another ex-Blues player, has eased Chang in after 18 months out with an awful knee injury and the 22-year-old has forged a midfield partnership with Ryan Stirk – also formerly of Blues. In doing so, Chang has ousted ex-Blues midfielder Charlie Lakin from the starting line-up.
Salder said: “Alfie is a cracking kid. We knew that it was going to take a little bit of time with Alfie because of what he’s been through and what stage I knew he was at when we signed him.
“He’s playing very well. He’s enjoying playing with Ryan (Stirk) and I think they’ve got a good relationship forming.”
Chang has helped to provide a solid platform for Walsall’s attacking talents to flourish. Hall, free from hamstring pain once more, is leading the charge on that front.
The 20-year-old has provided the athleticism in attack that Walsall have lacked since Lowe’s departure in January, if not the goals. Goals aren’t Hall’s game but he has contributed three, plus two assists, for Walsall this season.
Two players who have had to overcome more than their fair share of adversity in the past two years are now bidding to help Walsall’s crazy season end at Wembley.
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