Sean O'Driscoll hails effective Walsall

Manager Sean O'Driscoll hailed the organisation and discipline of his Walsall side as they moved back into the automatic promotion places by beating Doncaster.

Second-half goals from Sam Mantom and Andy Taylor gave O'Driscoll's side a 2-0 lead against his old employers at the Keepmoat Stadium.

And, despite a late goal from Rovers substitute Liam Mandeville, the Saddlers held on to return to winning ways in League One and leapfrog Gillingham into second place.

O'Driscoll said: "I thought we were organised and disciplined – the players showed a real determination.

"We said at half-time we need to make the Doncaster back four defend. I thought we did that really well, we got the ball wide, we got the ball into the box, which we didn't do in the first half.

"We were quite comfortable at 0-0 and even more comfortable at 2-0 up.

"But credit to Doncaster for getting back into it, they put us under pressure but we learned from the Blackpool game where at 1-0 up we were trying to score a second goal.

"We told them afterwards 'was that the right thing to do?' and I think we managed the game at the end very well."

The result sees the Saddlers bounce back to winning ways following the 4-0 FA Cup loss to Reading on Saturday.

And O'Driscoll revealed he is trying to add some extra steel into his side.

He added: "We said before the Reading game that would be our most difficult game, the head coach said.

"The result didn't bother me and I was really pleased with some of the things that happened.

"The team has proved in the first half of the season they can play.

"Now it's about getting the job done. We are at a time of year where the pitches are poor. It's a Tuesday night, we had played on Saturday, Doncaster hadn't.

"There are all these variables that you have to take into consideration and I think they have grown up a little bit.

"If you are going to achieve anything there has got to be a little of steel in the team we are trying to develop that."