Walsall boss happy with one factor but frustrated by Saddlers' draw

Walsall had gilt-edged chances in either half on a frustrating afternoon in Lancashire. Liam Gordon slotted wide from close-range inside four minutes and Nathan Lowe was denied one-on-one by inspired Accrington goalkeeper Billy Crellin in the closing stages.

Tommy Simkin produced an important reactive save to deny Sonny Aljofree from point-blank range as Walsall registered their second draw of the season.

Sadler said: "The lads are disappointed because we came here to win but we also knew it was going to be a really tough afternoon and tough in different ways to what we faced in the two games previously.

"I'm so proud of the way we mixed things up and the way we fought, scrapped, battled and gave everything. We left it all out on the pitch there which is all you can ask for.

"The first 10 minutes I thought we were brilliant. Then maybe because we didn't get that goal, it got a little bit more scrappy but at half-time we talked about settling it down a little bit.

"But we knew we had to be relentless with our defending and I thought we were but when the chances came we just didn't take them. I felt like a day for a scrappy goal but we didn't quite fall the right side of that."

That result leaves Walsall still sitting in second although leaders Port Vale stretched their lead at the League Two summit to four points courtesy of a 3-2 win over AFC Wimbledon.

The Saddlers are unbeaten in four games since losing 6-2 against Fleetwood Town at Bescot last month and Sadler feels proud of his team's response in recent games.

"I can't be anything but proud of the efforts this week. We've had to do things in different ways against different opposition and we've remained true to who we are throughout all of it," he continued.

"I have to be pleased. I'm gutted we didn't give the travelling support the victory that we deserved but I think we can all see the strides we're making and that was another important leap forward at a tough place to come."