Matt Taylor delighted with battling Walsall
Boss Matt Taylor has spoken of his overwhelming pride after seeing Walsall dig in deep to pick up an impressive 1-1 draw at Bradford City.
The Saddlers had it all to do in the second half after seeing captain Joss Labadie sent off just before the interval.
But they successfully thwarted the Bantams in front of almost 16,000 fans at Valley Parade thanks to a brilliant defensive display, and Taylor said: "The overall emotion running through my body is that I'm proud of the team.
"They did whatever they needed to do to get the result.
"At 40 minutes, we're down to 10 men. The players have had to dig in and take their bodies probably somewhere they haven't done so before this season.
"I asked them at half-time to give me, the coaches and the fans every single sinew, every single muscle in your body.
"They did that and I thought we were immense out of possession.
"We had to concede possession as that was the way we were going to get a result. Bradford are a very good team and are one of the favourites.
"They moved the ball better than we did in the first half – even at 11 v 11. We got back in it and thought about getting to half-time, but it wasn't to be.
"The half-time team talk was slightly different than the one I had planned!
"But what the players have shown is a huge togetherness. To have that in a group that's so new is a pretty good thing."
Bradford took the lead early on through former Wolves youngster Elliot Watt.
Walsall grew in confidence and levelled through Jack Earing, but they saw Labadie shown a straight red immediately afterwards as he caught Gareth Evans with his studs.
Taylor insists he was too far away from Labadie's challenge and had not seen a replay.
He has also confirmed Conor Wilkinson has pulled his hamstring, having not been in the squad in West Yorkshire.
The Saddlers are now two unbeaten in League Two, and Taylor added on the performance: "It's a mental challenge for some of our younger players as they'll have never played in a stadium like this, in front of 15,000 people.
"The emotion that goes through your body, decision-making becomes difficult.
"But our younger players stood up to that exceptionally, coupled with the older heads who steadied the ship.
"To a man, they were exceptional out of possession. I'm so happy to come away with a point after the scenario in the first half."
