Dean Holden: Critics proved wrong

Dean Holden today insisted Walsall FC have silenced their critics and urged them to cash in on their early-season form.

The defender warned the Saddlers cannot be written off after his first goal for the club earned a 1-0 win over MK Dons. It stretched their unbeaten run to four games and Holden believes Saturday's victory delivered a snub to the doubters after they threw away a 2-0 lead against Brentford to draw 2-2 in the previous game.

The 32-year-old said: "People were questioning us, that we didn't have any players at the start of the season and were tipping us to go down – which doesn't bother us.

"So whether we're proving people wrong or proving something to ourselves, it's working.

"We were cautious about not doing what we did last week with people asking questions, can they hold a lead? How weak are they when the pressure is on? We were eager to prove people wrong and we did that.

"As the gaffer keeps saying, it's a young team and we're learning, but we're proving people wrong. Everyone expected them to come and beat us.

"It's early but we have to keep the momentum going. We're four unbeaten."

The Saddlers rose to ninth in the early League One table after Holden's first goal for 11 months maintained their unbeaten run since the opening-day defeat to Doncaster.

And he insisted victory proved the new-look Walsall can mix it with the top sides in the division.

"MK?Dons are an established League One team and should have got promoted in the last couple of years," said the former Chesterfield ace.

"If you compare the finances and the wages they are bigger than us. But we knew how we could exploit them. Beating Notts County gave us a lot of confidence."

n The Saddlers have landed a home tie with Port Vale in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy second round. The game will be played in the week of October 8.