Jon Whitney: Walsall are still looking up

The Saddlers fell to back-to-back defeats in League One for the first time since February 2015, as Curtis Main's strike settled an evenly-contested match at Boundary Park.

It was a result that saw Walsall slip to sixth in the division, but with Whitney's side having the chance to move back up to third if they beat Gillingham on Tuesday.

And Whitney felt there were positives to be taken from their performance in Greater Manchester, saying: "I am not as disappointed as I was last week against Sheffield United.

"The performance was okay but the result I am disappointed with.

"First half I thought we did really well, we tried to play in the right way and I thought we deserved to come in at the break with a lead.

"But I told them at half-time, John Sheridan will have his players at it for the second-half, because two 45 minutes are never the same."

The game saw both sides struggle to create clear cut chances with Whitney pleased with the performance of his defence.

He continued: "They got the one chance and have won it.

"We can say to our lads - if you go away from home and only give the opposition once chance – then we will be happy – we won't be far off with the chances we create.

"But the first goal was always going to be a really important one and we didn't have enough to get it back."

Whitney surprised fans before kick-off, with the Saddlers lining up in a new 4-3-3 formation. He said: "I think we got back to ourselves with the 4-3-3.

"We knew they would be a threat but I thought the game plan worked really well. We now have a big game on Tuesday. Results elsewhere have gone our way.

"We can't be too disappointed. We can go to Tuesday to win and go third again with a game in hand on Burton.

"We can't dwell. They are on a great run. I have to give John Sheridan credit because he has got his team battling.

"But that will not define our season. On Tuesday night we can be sat in that changing room at Gillingham giving high fives and hugs. That is what makes a winning team."

Whitney revealed Tom Bradshaw was withdrawn at Boundary Park with a groin injury and will be assessed on Monday, ahead of the trip to Kent.