Walsall Head Coach Michael Flynn was frustrated with how his team started Saturday’s match against Grimsby Town but was pleased with how they responded in the second half.
The Saddlers fell behind on 18 minutes when Bryn Morris struck but captain Donervon Daniels equalised five minutes into the second half as the visitors improved.
Flynn felt his side could have gone on to win the game had they done better with some of the openings they had in the second period but concluded that a draw was fair after he admitted the Saddlers started poorly.
“We started too sloppy,” Flynn said.
“We looked like we played midweek, we were second to things. For the first half an hour we were nowhere near.
"We knew they’d come out the way they did – they did the same at Mansfield and tired towards the end which is understandable because of the amount of fixtures they’ve got but we were much better second half.
“We looked like we were going to win the game but again, our decision making and our lack of quality with our final pass. You look at the cross at the end from Manny which sticks out, that’s just got to be slid across the floor but we kick it out of play and let teams off so it was a bit frustrating but it was a positive reaction in the second half.
“We changed to a 4-3-3, I just wanted that bit more creativity to bring on. Matty (Stevens) needs service, Douglas (James-Taylor) is young and Yann (Songo’o) is more defensive so we put Hayden (White) right-back who I thought was brilliant when he came on, Joe Riley in the middle just to try and get that bit more creativity and it did improve us but probably a fair result a draw.”
Walsall were back by 417 Saddlers fans who made the long trip up to Cleethorpes and Flynn was full of praise and gratitude to the fans.
“They were excellent,” he commented.
“They were right behind us all game, clapped the boys off at the end because they saw that we dug in, got ourselves going and I’m gutted we haven’t got the three points for them.”
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