Walsall will be stunned by recent Bradford City developments - it's a huge positive but something has to change | OneFootball

Walsall will be delighted by Bradford City's back-to-back defeats, but they must improve their own form if they are to win promotion this season.

It was not long ago that Walsall looked destined to win the League Two title, but their spot in the automatic promotion places is now under severe threat after a poor run of form.

After a club-record run of nine consecutive victories, Walsall had a staggering 15-point lead over fourth-placed AFC Wimbledon in January, but that gap has been reduced significantly in recent weeks.

The Saddlers have won just two of their last 12 games, and it was another frustrating evening for them as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Bromley at Hayes Lane on Thursday night.

Walsall showed good character as they twice came back from behind to equalise in the game to pick up an important point, but they are now without a victory in their last five matches.

However, after Bradford City were beaten at home by relegation-threatened Tranmere Rovers on Saturday, the Saddlers remain top of the table, and the Bantams' recent form has been an unexpected boost for Mat Sadler's faltering side.

Walsall will be shocked by double Bradford City setback

After an outstanding first half of the season, Walsall established a seemingly unassailable lead at the top of the League Two table, and the goals of on-loan Stoke City striker Nathan Lowe were crucial to their success.

Lowe scored 18 goals and provided seven assists in 30 appearances during his time at the Poundland Bescot Stadium, but he was recalled by the Potters in January, and his exit has had a devastating impact on the Saddlers.

Walsall beat MK Dons 4-2 in their first game after Lowe's departure to record the aforementioned club-record ninth straight win, and the early signs suggested they would be able to cope without the 19-year-old, but results soon declined.

After a run of five games without a victory, the Saddlers looked to have got their season back on track after two consecutive wins over Morecambe and Chesterfield in February, but that has been followed by another alarming five-match winless streak.

Walsall were beaten 3-1 at home by play-off hopefuls Grimsby Town in the early kick-off last Saturday, which gave Bradford the chance to knock them off top spot later in the afternoon, but the Bantams suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at Gillingham, who had won just one of their previous 15 games.

After the Saddlers slipped up once again as they were held by Bromley on Thursday night, the Bantams had the opportunity to move level with them at the summit on Saturday, but they fell to another surprise defeat as they were beaten 1-0 at home by a Tranmere side who had not won away since mid-October.

In a further boost to Walsall, the likes of Wimbledon, Doncaster, Notts County and Port Vale have all been out of form of late, meaning they have not been punished for their recent stumbles as much as they would have expected to be.

Bradford's unexpected back-to-back defeats have been a huge boost for Walsall, but they have undoubtedly been let off the hook for their own poor form, and they cannot continue to rely on others dropping points.

Sadler insisted that he was "not concerned" by his side's decline in form after they were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom side Carlisle United earlier this month, but with no end to their wobble in sight, the 40-year-old will surely be getting increasingly worried.

After a tricky trip to face improving Gillingham at Priestfield on Saturday, the Saddlers face three consecutive games against fellow automatic promotion contenders in Wimbledon, Doncaster and Port Vale, and failure to secure positive results in those matches would likely see Sadler's men drop out of the top three.

While Walsall's upcoming run of fixtures is tough, it does present them with a chance to restore the advantage at the top of the table that they have lost in recent weeks, but as things stand, it is difficult to be confident that they will take that opportunity.

Having finished 11th in the table last term, few expected the Saddlers to be anywhere near the automatic promotion places this season, so it has been an outstanding campaign for the Midlands outfit, and they can still achieve something special over the coming months.

However, if results do not improve, Walsall's luck will soon start to run out, and they will be overtaken by those around them, so a victory at Gillingham this weekend is crucial to prevent their lead at the top shrinking further.