Bescot Banter: Walsall can't afford more individual errors

Heading into their meeting with Harrogate Town on the back of a 2-1 triumph over relegation candidates Oldham Athletic, the Saddlers were looking to continue their fine run of form and with it increase their thankfully handsome advantage over the teams currently sitting in the drop zone.

After failing to make the breakthrough during the opening forty-five, the Saddlers were finally able to take the lead just after the hour mark as an in-form Conor Wilkinson grabbed his third goal in as many games - his tenth of the season so far - via a happily dispatched penalty kick.

Despite their lead, and the newfound confidence which has grown alongside their unbeaten run, the Saddlers would soon return to their old ways as yet more casual defending saw Calum Kavanagh head the ball home, securing a point for the Sulphurites, who may well have been good value for their point, but should have been prevented from securing it.

Whilst the point away from home is nothing to be sniffed at, especially when you look back at some of our truly dismal awayday performances, the fact that the equalising goal arrived as a result of the team appearing to switch off for even a brief moment, is a painful one.

Far too many points have already been dropped over the course of the season, and if the team is to truly become something of a force in this division the players will have to become much more resilient when it comes to late pressure.

Of course, most of us don't want to see the manager resort to parking the bus in order to secure something from a game, but if putting all eleven men behind the ball will stop so many points falling by the wayside then we may all have to take one for the team.

Obviously, the squad may well look completely different next season, especially if the gaffer gets his way and is allowed to operate with a squad of around twenty-five players, but the need for a more disciplined approach to the final few minutes when the team is in a winning position still stands, and simply has to be addressed.

Looking briefly at Flynn's desire to greatly increase the size of his playing squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, and, whilst we agree there is a need for more options in several positions, we hope Michael and Technical Director Jamie Fullarton will concentrate upon areas that require the most work and also look to make use of some of the options in the academy.

Having two players for every position could easily be achieved by using a combination of transfer window signings and making better use of players already at the club, this would allow Flynn to sign quality over quantity whilst offering some of the prospects a clear pathway to first-team football.

Returning to the current campaign and, with eight games, including this weekend's meeting with Salford City, still to be played, there remain plenty of points up for grabs, and, whilst it's now highly unlikely that we'll be dragged back into trouble, we can't afford to see more points dropped as a result of individual, or collective errors.

Hopefully, the gaffer and his team have used the disappointment they felt when the full-time whistle blew as inspiration to work harder at the training ground and will reward the travelling faithful who will make the trip to Moor Lane this weekend.