Comment: Birmingham City loanee George Hall can provide Walsall's promotion push with an extra boost

Hall had enjoyed a breakthrough season in the Championship just 18 months before and was reportedly attracting admiring glances from the likes of Liverpool and Leeds United. 

But his seemingly unstoppable rise came to a crashing halt when a series of hamstring injuries derailed his blossoming early career. 

Those injuries would ultimately reduce the promising youngster to just nine appearances last season and his road to recovery would prove far from smooth when he arrived at Bescot. 

He understandably looked off the pace on his first start in a 1-0 defeat at MK Dons in September and was hooked at half-time. Three days later, Hall hobbled off with a back injury to spend another fortnight on the side lines. 

Yet Mat Sadler has carefully eased him back into the fold and his patience appears to be bearing fruit with Hall threatening to rediscover his groove in Walsall colours. 

His cameos from the bench against Grimsby Town and Crewe Alexandra, which heralded an assist apiece in both, offered a glimpse of the quality that had Premier League eyes eagerly peeled not so long ago. 

He then marked his first start in over two months with a dazzling second half display, as he opened his goal scoring account for the club with a delightful chip in a 3-0 win over Shrewsbury Town in the EFL Trophy last month. 

Hall had less success in the 2-2 draw against Bromley last week but minutes will be the key to unlocking his potential once again and his performance in Walsall's crucial 3-2 victory over Notts County on Tuesday proves exactly that. 

Sadler entrusted the youngster to fill the void left by the injured Jamie Jellis and Hall repaid his faith with an unerring finish into the far bottom corner to double Walsall's advantage. 

The midfield positions have been strong throughout the current campaign with in-form Jellis, Charlie Lakin, Brandon Comley, Ryan Stirk and Jack Earing all vying for one of the three spots alongside Hall. 

But with Hall's undoubted quality, Walsall could very well have added another gem to a growing collection in Sadler's promotion pushing squad.