A MANCUNIAN perhaps wouldn’t appreciate his team being associated with the lyrics of Liverpool’s famous ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ anthem.

But for the second time in a week, Swindon Town manager Richie Wellens saw his side walk on through the wind, and walk on through the rain, to record a third League Two win on the spin against an out-of-form Walsall.

The same rain and wind that battered the South West on Saturday – and ultimately called off Plymouth Argyle’s home clash against Grimsby Town – without question impacted the Saddlers’ visit.

To say otherwise would be a complete lie. Areas between the pitch’s perimeter and row one of the Energy Check County’s Ground four stands deteriorated rapidly throughout the contest, and full credit must therefore – again – go to head groundsman Marcus Cassidy and his voluntary, hard-working, team of staff.

But back to the football, this was a fixture that had three points written over it for Town before kick-off – on paper, this was probably their easiest games of the season.

Walsall, winless in five prior their trip to Wiltshire, are in arguably the worst run of form since the club was founded in 1888.

The Saddlers had never lost five Football League fixtures in the fourth division in a row before their current blip.

In addition, goalscoring was at a low too. Only three markers had been registered in recent defeats to Salford City, Leyton Orient, Cheltenham Town, Oldham Athletic and Mansfield Town.

Elijah Adebayo, a striker that flopped during his loan spell – that was eventually terminated – at Town last term, had been marked by Swindon assistant manager Noel Hunt as one of the visitors’ more dangerous players.

To many, that would’ve outlined the threat Darrell Clarke’s side were likely to bring to SN1.

Credit to Walsall, they battled to the end despite falling two goals behind after Eoin Doyle and Diallang Jaiyesimi netted either side of half-time.

The visitors’ shot count outweighed Town’s efforts too. But this was a game that rarely looked like going to the way of the struggling Midlands outfit.

Perhaps only in the milliseconds before home goalkeeper Steven Benda pulled off an outstanding second-half stoppage time reaction save did some 6,600 plus Swindon fans ever doubt three points was in the bag.

Talking of Benda, it was a confident display from the young German stopper – perhaps too confident at times.

Taking the relentless wind and rain into account, his decision to charge off his line prior to Rory Gaffney’s tidy glanced header that brought Walsall back into the contest with 54 minutes played can perhaps be understood.

In hindsight, of course, it was a poor error of judgement.

Defensively, Town held up strong – a promising sign given the crisis manager Wellens experienced little over a month ago when losing club captain Dion Conroy in addition to fellow central defender Mathieu Baudry.

Michael Doughty might still prove to be a cause for fans’ concern in midfield. Last season’s Town Player of the Season again looked a little lacklustre and lost when in possession, and several poor passes forward and free-kick deliveries didn’t go unnoticed either.

Without the pocket-sized Lloyd Isgrove, a player whose form admittedly dipped prior to his knee injury which has ruled him out for at least a month, Wellens’ side looked content.

Anthony Grant was again excellent, as was striker Doyle – who notched a goal inside the game’s first five minutes for a third time this season.

Coincidently, every time Doyle has scored early on – against Morecambe, Crawley Town last weekend and now Walsall – Swindon have gone onto win.

So, with three successive wins under their belt, the promotion charge is seemingly back on.

A two-week break in League Two might have just come at the wrong time.

Wellens made one enforced change to last week’s team that breezed by Crawley.

The injured Isgrove missed out, in came Keshi Anderson.

Walsall were first to threaten, Liam Kinsella volleyed Danny Guthrie’s cross over Benda’s crossbar after ex-Town player Adebayo won a corner.

But the Saddlers’ bright start was almost immediately forgotten about when Doyle notched his 14th goal of the season.

Jerry Yates’ through ball sent the hungry Anderson through into the penalty area – the 24-year-old made a smart decision to pick Doyle out in the middle who tapped in Town’s opener from close range under no pressure.

Benda kept out Adebayo and Gaffney’s efforts shortly afterwards, though – highlighting that Walsall weren’t dented by Doyle’s early marker.

But the hosts’ real blow came moments later when Anderson went to ground clutching his right hamstring after he attempted to control Dion Donohue’s long ball forward.

Town’s playmaker hobbled off the pitch, with assistance, and was replaced by Jordan Lyden.

Walsall had to make an early change also. Midfielder Guthrie came off after going to ground, Alfie Bates came on in his place.

The changes stalled Town’s fluency. Several misplaced passes halted potentially dangerous attacking moves while visiting Walsall were equally scrappy.

But a goal up at half time – a fair reflection of the game.

Similar to the first half, Town were quick to make their mark and quickly doubled their lead within a minute.

Benda’s punt forward was well flicked on by Doyle before Zak Jules’ defensive blunder granted Jaiyesimi possession in a dangerous area 25 yards out.

Town’s on-loan attacking midfielder proceeded into the penalty area before his effort was cruelly deflected into the Saddlers’ goal.

It wasn’t long until Walsall halved their deficit, though, as Gaffney comfortably pegged a goal back when glancing an inswinging free-kick into the hosts’ net.

The County Ground’s atmosphere dropped a notch, and Walsall grew into the game.

Tame chances came and went, but Lyden went closest when his volley could only be crashed into the Town End following Doyle’s neat cross from the left.

Chances continued to be few and far between in the game’s closing minutes, although Benda made a remarkable one-handed save late in stoppage time to prevent what would’ve – without question – been a late equalising goal.