Sean O'Driscoll: I hope I've earned trust
New boss Sean O'Driscoll hopes he has started to earn the trust of Walsall's players after his substitutions inspired a 2-0 win over Port Vale.
The Saddlers moved up to second in League One after two goals from Jordan Cook ensured the 58-year-old manager began his Bank's rein with a win.
Cook was brought off the bench in the second half as O'Driscoll switched his side to a 4-4-2 formation – something the Saddlers haven't employed all season.
But it proved to be a tactical masterstroke with Walsall then finding the goals to secure the victory which sees them move three points behind leaders Burton Albion but with a game in hand.
"I thought before the game 'if we went a goal down, what would I do?' I'd stick two up front," O'Drsicoll said.
"So I then thought 'I don't want to wait until we're a goal down, I might as well do it now and take that chance.
"For an hour we looked like we weren't going to get beaten, but I didn't think we looked like we were going to win.
"When you've got points in the bag and games in hand there is a chance to gamble a bit.
"All of a sudden the game changed, we were a threat and the tempo increased and our confidence flooded back and we saw glimpses of the side that have played all season.
"I just want to build on what has happened here before and I will get a bit of trust now with the players because it's worked, they understood why it worked and you have to build up that rapport with them over a period of time."
Cook's goals came after the striker was surprisingly left of the bench with winger Milan Lalkovic preferred up front.
And O'Driscoll now hopes the goals will flow for the striker who impressed up front alongside the former Chelsea and Barnsley man.
"Strikers thrive on confidence and Cook's general play was good as well," the boss added.
"You probably wouldn't put those two together as a striking partnership but in the 30-odd minutes they were on the pitch they were a threat.
"The fact we had two strikers up there gave us the opportunity rather than if we had one, so we're just pleased for everybody.
""People have been saying the team doesn't function as well when Tom Bradshaw is out.
"We've got to find a solution to that and maybe we've found one."
