Walsall can reel in promotion rivals, says Mat Sadler after Rochdale win

Posted Sunday, October 30, 2022 by PA

Walsall have the ability to keep reeling in the sides above them in the Sky Bet League Two promotion race, claimed first-team coach Mat Sadler after their 1-0 victory over Rochdale.

Hayden White’s close-range finish, his first goal in almost five years, earned the Saddlers a fourth successive home league win as they climbed to 12th, four points off the play-offs.

“We’ve started to get into our rhythm, into our stride – everyone can see we look extremely hard to beat and well balanced at the moment,” said Sadler.

“So let’s keep clawing the teams in front of us back. There are some good teams in this league with some good players, but I’d back our group against many.

“It’s about clawing points back. We’ve left a few points out there in the first 16 games of the season.

“We are playing catch-up a little bit, but we are in decent form and we look like a group that is hard to beat but that has also got goals in it.

“For me 1-0 wins are the best wins, they are great – they are probably the worst as a coach because you want that second goal, that third goal, but as a player or a defender, as I was, 1-0s are the best.”

Walsall had to hang on for the points as Rochdale applied plenty of pressure in the second half but failed to truly trouble Saddlers goalkeeper Owen Evans.

James Ball spurned their best chance in the final minute, prodding wide when found unmarked in the box.

The game was put back 15 minutes after motorway traffic delayed the visitors, but boss Jim Bentley refused to use that as an excuse.

Defeat leaves Dale outside the bottom two only on goal difference and Bentley was unhappy about the defending from the long throw that led to White’s winner.

“The preparation wasn’t ideal – coaches were stuck in traffic and the game gets pushed back a bit, so it’s a rush job,” Bentley said. “But I think we warmed into the game.

“I’m really disappointed with the goal because we pride ourselves on being strong and robust. It just looked a little bit too easy for me.

“It’s bouncing around our box and you are thinking ‘come on, someone deal with it’ and you find yourself 1-0 down. That’s the killer because ultimately that’s the goal that done us.

“We were the better side second half and created opportunities without really testing the keeper enough. We gave a good account of ourselves, but we’ve lost the game.

“We’ve proven over the last few weeks that we can pick up points and put in good performances and we need to make sure we have that same belief every game we go into.”