Alan Pardew has already seen Walsall wreck his promotion dreams once - and he is calling on everyone to make sure the struggling Saddlers don't repeat the trick tomorrow.

Matthew Etherington - misses out on Upton Park clash with Walsall Picture: NICK ANSELL

With Hammers playing catch-up in the race for the top two, failure to beat the lowly Midlanders would be a huge blow to their hopes of success this season.

Even though the league table suggests it will be a formality against a side searching for their first win of the year, Pardew is determined to see no repeat of his bitter memories from 2001.

"I've got history with Walsall when they beat us in the play-off final at Reading," he said. "The winning goal went in off the back of my right winger's head and it still hurts.

"But Walsall are not going to come and make it an open game.

"With due respect to them, Colin Lee isn't going to bring a side to come here and have a go at us. We have to expect that."

Naturally, most fans will anticipate a comfortable home victory, especially given the impressive recent form shown by Pardew's men.

And even the absence of suspended Matthew Etherington will not be seen as a major problem, even if it does mean a shortage of natural width to break down an inevitably defensive line-up from the visitors.

But Pardew is keen for the crowd to provide the same kind of support and encouragement he has enjoyed in recent wins over Rotherham and Cardiff - even if it takes a while for the breakthrough to come.

"It looks like an easy game and my fear is if the fans take that on board we might get trouble," he said.

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Published Friday March 5, 2004

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