Mixed feeling for Michael Flynn and Mark Hughes after stalemate

Posted Wednesday, March 08, 2023 by PA

Rival bosses Michael Flynn and Mark Hughes reflected on hard luck stories as Walsall and Bradford battled out a 0-0 draw in League Two.

Leading marksman Andy Cook headed against the bar for the Bantams in the 25th minute, while the Saddlers failed to convert the bulk of the play into clear chances.

Wing-back Tom Knowles caused plenty of problems down the right and it was his inviting cross that created Walsall’s best chance of the game but substitute Douglas James-Taylor could not connect in front of the home end with 10 minutes to go.

It was the home side’s seventh draw in eight league outings, with Flynn’s charges last picking up three points on New Year’s Day.

“We could easily have been sitting here with six or seven wins but we are not,” said Flynn. “The main thing is we are not losing and folding.

“This was a vast improvement on Saturday (a 1-0 home defeat to Barrow), particularly in the first half. Tonight we looked like scoring, unfortunately we couldn’t but we played a team that is in a rich vein of form. They have the league’s top goalscorer and they are full of confidence but I thought we edged it on the balance of play.

“We are not feeling sorry for ourselves, the players are getting on with it and if we continue to play like we do, we are going to win football matches, I know that and the players know that.

“It is a case of coming out of the other end stronger, there is a good team in the making here – if you add on 12 points, we are up to fifth so we are not far away.”

Hughes said: “Both teams cancelled each other out to a certain extent, there were not too many clear chances.

“We probably had the best of them, we hit the bar and thought there was a good claim for a penalty in the first half with the tangle of legs with Cooky, but both defences came out on top.

“We were very solid, we are picking up good clean sheets at the moment and Walsall are a difficult team to break down.

“We are happy enough. We are in a good run of form, we didn’t reach the heights in terms of our attacking play but still got something out of the game.”

Walsall’s Conor Wilkinson and Isaac Hutchinson stung the palms of Bradford keeper Harry Lewis late in a first half that the hosts had the better of while being kept at arm’s length.

James-Taylor’s opportunity was as good as it got at either end in the second half, with City defender Sam Stubbs heading over a corner when well placed deep into added time.