One step at a time for Walsall’s Dean Keates

Posted Sunday, August 19, 2018 by PA

Walsall boss Dean Keates is refusing to get carried away with the Saddlers’ unbeaten start to the season despite being delighted with his side’s 2-1 win over Gillingham.

The Gills came into the game having won both their opening League One games but fell behind to a Morgan Ferrier rocket that flew into the top corner.

Isaiah Osbourne’s 20-yard strike doubled Walsall’s lead just before the interval but the Saddlers had to survive a late Gillingham barrage.

Callum Reilly’s header was cleared off the line by George Dobson before Tom Eaves headed home Barry Fuller’s stoppage-time cross but it was too little, too late for the Gills.

Keates – who narrowly steered Walsall to League One survival last term after taking over in March – said: “I thought we deserved it.

“If we take another chance, I think it makes life a little bit easier but Gilingham are a good team and you can see how they have won both games before this.

“We have good young players here who want to learn and they are a pleasure to work with.

“It was massive that we didn’t have a hangover from last year. It’s a revitalised team but it’s early days, we will keep going, keep learning and keep developing.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve a few things in the game and I don’t think anybody has ever got promoted in August or early September.

“We’ve picked up some good results and there have been some decent performances.

“There is a good feel around the place but we are going to pick up a defeat at some point and it’s how we react from that. That will be a learning curve.”

Gillingham boss Steve Lovell rued his side’s slow start but felt their second-half efforts merited a point.

Lovell said: “The performance was okay actually. But I don’t think we started well. The first 10 minutes we didn’t start like we normally do and then it is hard to get into the game.

“It was a great goal for them but we had good possession in midfield and it got cut out and they went through and scored an excellent goal.

“I’m disappointed with the way we conceded that but I was pleased with the way the boys responded and in the second half I thought we were unlucky not to get something out of the game.

“We needed to score a little bit earlier but Walsall defended well; they were throwing bodies in front of everything and you’ve got to give them credit.

“I think over the 90 minutes they probably deserved to win but it was a very open game. A good game for the neutral to watch because it was end-to-end stuff.”