Michael Flynn not dwelling on Danny Johnson future as on-loan hitman nets again

Posted Sunday, October 09, 2022 by PA

Walsall boss Michael Flynn insists he is not losing sleep about top scorer Danny Johnson’s future despite the on-loan marksman reaching 10 goals for the season in a 3-1 win over AFC Wimbledon.

The Saddlers were keen to sign Johnson permanently in the summer but his club Mansfield would only agree on a loan switch which expires in January.

He again showed his predatory instincts to round Nik Tzanev to slot home Walsall’s second goal after Ryley Towler had cancelled out Isaac Hutchinson’s early strike.

Tom Knowles sealed the points in stoppage time as Walsall registered back-to-back victories after ending a 12-match winless run in all competitions.

“I’m not worrying about things I can’t change, as simple as that,” Flynn said when quizzed over Johnson’s status for the second half of the season.

“Getting 10 goals is something that Danny should be proud of. Let’s put it in perspective, he’s two goals off [2021-22 top scorer] George Miller’s total last season already.

“But he can’t play next weekend against Mansfield so somebody else has got to step up and take their opportunity.”

On the Saddlers’ win, which lifted them to 14th, Flynn added: “We killed them off, which we haven’t done since the first game of the season.

“It’s the first time in 13 games that we’ve scored more than one. And we had fewer opportunities today than in any other game I think – the conversion rate was higher.

“Three points, seven points this week, it’s been a good week.

“Wimbledon got on top a little bit after their goal but we were much better second half, we had more conviction about us.”

Wimbledon, meanwhile, slip to 17th after a fifth defeat in their last seven league matches – and they have conceded the opening goal in all seven of those games.

“It’s yet another game where we should be coming away with a minimum of a point,” said Dons boss Johnnie Jackson.

“But small moments have cost us again. We’ve come away from a game where there’s very, very little between the sides with a defeat, so that’s hard to swallow.

“Again we’ve had an early setback which is happening too often, if you are going to concede first in games, it’s going to make it difficult to win football matches.

“It doesn’t feel like a fair reflection of the game but I’m sick and tired of saying that.

“It’s the little tiny details that have cost us, there wasn’t loads between the teams – they’ve taken their chances and we haven’t taken ours.

“The second half was disappointing because the game was there for us at half-time and again the early setback in the second half kills the momentum you might have had and makes it difficult.”