FA Cup: Alfreton v Walsall - Southampton carrot is dangled as Saddlers try again

And the reward for progression is a trip to Championship high-fliers Southampton in round three, which could be incentive enough for Mat Sadler to go strong with his team selection again.

Walsall’s team had some eye-catching inclusions and omissions, most notably Danny Johnson who was not in the matchday squad.

Sadler revealed that Johnson’s absence was due to a shoulder injury he picked up in the Barrow game, although he remains hopeful that he will only be a short-term miss.

He was replaced by Ross Tierney, while Jackson Smith would have taken Owen Evans’ place in goal after the Welshman sustained a calf injury against Barrow, and Oisin McEntee came into the side in place of Brandon Comley.

The match was scheduled to be broadcast on BBC One, with former Alfreton player-manager Chris Wilder, Walsall legend Jimmy Walker and Stephen Warnock, an FA Cup winner with Liverpool, all part of the punditry team.

And with kick-off fast approaching, and the stands at the Impact Arena close to full, referee Sam Allison made the decision to call the game off less than 10 minutes before kick-off.

“It was too hard in too many areas of the pitch, it seemed like an ice rink in some areas,” Allison said. “Player safety has to be the priority – it was too dangerous and too unsafe.” The result is a rearranged fixture this evening, leaving Saddlers with less time to prepare for Saturday’s trip to Notts County in League Two.

And it leaves Sadler with a decision to make on whether or not he risks players such as Freddie Draper, Tom Knowles and Liam Gordon, given the imminent fixture pile-up.

Sadler also revealed to the BBC that the team’s Christmas do would have to be rearranged as a result of the postponement, as well as acknowledging the financial implications on the Saddlers fans that travelled to Derbyshire in good numbers.