Saddlers Head Coach Mat Sadler was delighted with his defence following the 2-0 Boxing Day win over Crewe Alexandra as his side kept their fourth straight clean sheet at home, a feat not matched since the end of the 2014/15 season.
Goals either side of the break from Freddie Draper and Oisin McEntee were enough to make it three wins on the spin at home for the Saddlers but it was the defence that really caught the eye of the Head Coach.
McEntee went into the back three in place of the injured David Okagbue and partnered Priestley Farquharson and the ever present Donervon Daniels.
“He’s a good player (Priestley), a very good player,” said Sadler. “The three of them back there I thought were brilliant.
“With David Okagbue having to come out because of his eye, that was the little shuffle that we made. The three of them were great today, really really good and they set a real platform for us.
“I thought Jackson Smith was great, some of his distribution and his work around the penalty area was really good.
“I must say, Tom Knowles, we know we want more out of him as an attacking threat because he can do it, we have all seen him do it over and over and over again so we will keep working with him on that.
“I thought his defensive work was brilliant today. I thought he defended so, so well in a position that he is still learning and I thought him and Liam Gordon were really good with that side of the game.
“We thoroughly deserved the victory and we go onto the next one now needing to rest, recover and go again.”
The Saddlers are back in action on Friday 29th December as we welcome high-flying Wrexham to the Poundland Bescot Stadium and Sadler has highlighted as a game everyone is looking forward to because it’s another opportunity to extend the four game unbeaten home run.
“It’s our next home game but they’re a really good team and they are having a really good season,” Sadler continued.
“Phil Parkinson has set them up really well and we are looking forward to the next home game.
“I know it is going to be a really good crowd which is great for us all. It’s a Friday night game under the lights so we are all looking forward to it.
“We look forward to it because it’s the next game and the next chance to try and win.”