Analysis: Recent growing trend cost Walsall dearly in rare defeat at Bescot
Walsall have developed a habit of falling behind of late, but they were unable to find a route back this time.
The Saddlers overturned a one-goal deficit to beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 a fortnight ago and came from a goal behind to salvage a point against Crawley Town the following weekend.
But they left it far too late to rescue a result after Barrow scored from the only two shots on target that they managed to muster throughout the 90.
In contrast, Walsall laid siege on the Barrow goal - registering 24 shots, 11 on target, and over three times as many touches inside the opposition box (39).
Yet they found Bluebirds shot-stopper Wyll Stanway in outstanding form, as he kept Walsall at bay time and time again with a series of stops.
In total, Stanway made 11 saves and Walsall would easily have emerged victorious on another day.
Mar Sadler has been praised for assembling a team capable of mounting another promotion challenge, and rightly so, but his recent tinkering has not quite had the desired effect.
Admittedly, two changes were enforced in the draw at Crawley, but he made four in total, and it showed, particularly in a lacklustre first half display.
The decision to drop Charlie Lakin and hand Courtney Clarke his first home league start was equally as eyebrow raising.
Lakin has been a crucial cog in the system and Walsall missed his positional discipline at times. It perhaps then came as little surprise that Walsall enjoyed their best period when Sadler made a triple change with 20 minutes to go, which included the introduction of Lakin.
