Sean O'Driscoll hails 'excellent' Walsall

Manager Sean O'Driscoll hailed his "excellent" Walsall players as they remained top of League One by beating Peterborough.

Late goals from Jason Demetriou and George Evans ensured O'Driscoll made a hat-trick of wins since replacing Dean Smith at the Banks's Stadium.

The result means the Saddlers have now won their last five League One fixtures, keeping three clean sheets in the process.

And O'Driscoll was delighted with the way his players overcame a Peterborough side who are also widely tipped to win promotion.

The new boss said: "I thought we were excellent. I've watched Peterborough's last three games and when they lost 2-0 to Blackpool, I was left wondering how.

"(Christopher) Forrester got 81 passes. (Michael) Bostwick got 69 passes, (Jon) Taylor got 69 passes.

"They had four or five players with those figures which at any level of football is an unbelievable stat. Our game plan was to stop their key players from playing.

"Looking at their pass completion after the game it was in the 20s so, whatever the score line, we did a fantastic job of stopping them playing.

"We showed real tactical nous to add to the undoubted qualities the players have got as people and characters."

Walsall won the game after Anthony Forde and Kieron Morris came on as late substitutes and both registered assists.

It's the second time in three games O'Driscoll's changes have altered the course of the game, with sub Jordan Cook scoring both goals in the 2-0 win over Port Vale on December 20.

But the modest head coach refused to take to take the credit, insisting former boss Smith and his assistant Richard O'Kelly deserve a lot of the credit.

He said: "I came into this really to try and carry on the good work of Dean and Richard and I think they have to take a lot of the credit as well.

"The football gods were smiling on them and long way it continue. Kieron Morris has come on and set up a goal immediately, that is the footballing gods, I can't really take the credit for that."