Walsall are suffering from promotion jitters.

Saturday's 2-0 defeat by Northampton, their first at home since October, ended their outside hopes of grabbing one of the two automatic spots. Richard Money's side, who host Albion on Tuesday, also now have only a two-point cushion in the play-off zone.

The Northampton setback was the third time they have lost in the last six outings, although the other two were away to Swansea and Carlisle.

Veteran striker Tommy Mooney still has his sights set on adding an end-of-season date at Wembley to his successful appearance at the old venue.

Mooney was part of the Watford side who beat Bolton in the 1999 play-off final to secure their place in the Premiership and has also enjoyed more play-off success and failure with Birmingham and Swindon respectively.

"I make no bones about it - there's a possible game at Wembley at stake at the end of the season and it could be my last chance to play there," he said.

"I was lucky enough to play at the old venue but to play at the new one, especially for a 36-year-old, would be a dream come true.

"It's a fantastic prospect and I'm not embarrassed to say I would love to be there."

Mooney is aware there is much work to be done before even daring to dream of such a feat, acknowledging that the next set of fixtures could certainly go a long way to deciding Walsall's fate and whether they are in contention for a first ever appearance at the home of football.

"We've got some difficult games," he admitted. "The likes of Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Southend - all away from home - are really big games for us.

Pan out "In a month's time it may well be that there are gaps developing and the way things are going to be pan out will be a lot more visible than it is now.

"A lot of the top teams are playing each other and it's up to us to make sure we're still right in there in the closing stretch." Darren Wrack believes the Northampton defeat was just a blip and he is quite happy for the unfashionable Saddlers to be written off.

The midfielder said: "I think over the season so far I can definitely say we've been as good as anyone else.

"Perhaps Swansea are the exception. They bossed us around a little bit and appear to be head and shoulders above everyone else.

"Of the other teams around us, there's no one that much better than us - we've played them all now and have got nothing to fear.

"No one is worried about Walsall which suits us down to the ground. We're happy with that and will just carry on trying to win games.

"I like looking at the table and seeing how we're doing and we're in a healthy position.

"I don't think anyone would have foreseen this at the start of the season and think we've proved a lot of people wrong."

Money has made good use of the loan market after guiding Walsall to the League Two title last season. He recently drafted in Kevin Betsy from Bristol City, Derby's Lee Holmes and former Aston Villa striker Stefan Moore. Wrack said: "The loan signings have really helped us. Lee is a really clever player who has chipped in with a few important goals and Kevin has done well on the right.

"Then Stefan comes in with a good pedigree. He's a goalscorer and got one on his debut (at Luton).

"Credit has to go to the gaffer and the people behind the scenes because they always make sure they bring the right players in."

Ince and Gerrard - that is goalkeeper Clayton Ince and centre half Anthony Gerrard, cousin of Steve - have also helped Walsall establish one of the meanest defensive records in the division.