Barnet 1-2 Walsall analysis: Saddlers survive rather than thrive in narrow win
Walsall made life difficult for themselves in the end but they eventually limped to a first away victory of the season at newly-promoted Barnet.
It felt somewhat anticlimactic when the full-time whistle blew. Yes, Walsall emerged with the three points most importantly, but it had a much different feel to it than most would've suspected after 22 minutes.
That's because the Saddlers flew out of the traps and deservedly stormed into a 2-0 lead by the midway point in the first half.
Walsall's relentless start
Mat Sadler got his tactics right at the start. Walsall hounded the Barnet back-line and forced a mistake as early as the first 80 seconds.
Jonny Stuttle pickpocketed defender Danny Collinge and Charlie Lakin pounced with a smart overlapping run. Stuttle found him in the inside-left position and Lakin flashed an enticing low cutback which Connor Barrett duly swept past Bees goalkeeper Cieran Slicker.
Barrett was the best player on the pitch and extended his season tally to two goals, but it is the improvement of his defensive game which is the most notable difference.
He completed all eight of his tackles and won 13 defensive duels - registering more than any player in both metrics.
Barnet struggled to cope and Walsall's defensive organisation forced them into backward and sideway passes. Myles Roberts did spring into an excellent diving save to deny Nnamdi Ofoborh, but Aaron Pressley doubled the Saddlers' advantage moments later.
It was criminal marking from a Barnet perspective. The Walsall frontman was afforded an abyss of space and Mason Hancock picked him out with aplomb.
