Walsall striker Daniel Kanu has issued a rallying cry to his teammates, demanding they use the "embarrassing" 4-0 home defeat to Cheltenham Town as fuel to finish their League Two campaign with pride. The heavy loss has dealt a near-fatal blow to the Saddlers' playoff aspirations, leaving them seven points adrift with just three games remaining.

The match was a tale of two halves, with the teams level at the break before a stunning second-half collapse left the home fans in disbelief. Head coach Darren Byfield labeled it the "worst performance" since his arrival, a sentiment echoed by Kanu, who saw a deflected shot crash off the crossbar. The 21-year-old loanee from Charlton struggled to explain the performance but emphasized the need for immediate improvement in effort and tactical understanding.

"There are ways to lose matches, and I think that's the worst way we've lost this season," Kanu told BBC Radio WM. "It's something we have to work out really quickly so we can end the season on a positive note."

Mathematically, the dream is still alive, but the path is narrow. Walsall must win all three of their final matches and rely on a complex set of favorable results from six other teams in the playoff chase. This scenario is a bitter pill to swallow for a squad that led the table in early December and suffered heartbreak in last season's playoff final.

Kanu, who has been a bright spot with 18 goals this season, expressed empathy for the club's supporters and his teammates who endured last year's near-miss. "I feel for the guys, I feel for the fans, I feel for everyone involved," he said, acknowledging the weight of another season potentially ending in disappointment. The final three games now represent a crucial test of character as Walsall looks to build momentum for the future.