Express & Star

Jon Whitney hails Walsall players after long due away win

Boss Jon Whitney was full of praise for his players as Walsall picked up a first away win of 2017 with a convincing victory at Oxford.

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Goals from Erhun Oztumer and Tyler Roberts put the Saddlers into the ascendancy at the Kassasm Stadium before Ryan Ledson scored from the penalty spot to bring the hosts back into the game.

In truth though the Saddlers were in control from the off with Pep Clotet’s side unable to live with the work rate and quality of Whitney’s men.

And the boss was pleased to see his side pick up a victory on their travels for the first time this calendar year.

“I’m pleased for the group and pleased for the lads,” Whitney said.

“Before the game we spoke about how all we can concentrate on is performance.

“You can never guarantee a win. Sometimes things go against you that are out of your control.

"But we can control performance levels. And the players have been consistent this year.

“I think we were outstanding in the first-half. I think 4-0 would have been a fair score line at the break.

“I thought we passed them off the park and stopped them playing completely. Second half I thought we started really well.

“They had a spell for 10 or 15 minutes and got the goal but we still didn’t look like we would concede after that. I thought it was a comfortable away win. The lads were excellent.”

Whitney sprung a surprise when naming his starting line-up with the Saddlers switching from a 3-5-2 system to a 4-1-4-1 formation.

And the change proved a masterstroke with Oxford often finding it difficult to get out of their own half, particularly in the opening 45 minutes.

“It was work rate and game plan,” Whitney continued.

“We spent a bit of time on it yesterday how we could stop them playing.

“I know Pep wants them to play out from the back and I think they put us under more pressure when they went more direct late on.

“But we know we have got dangerous players and pace. I thought Zeli (Ismail) in the first half was outstanding. I don’t think their left-back could live him.

“But I thought there were strong performances all over. There were seven out of 10s all over the pitch.”