Jon Whitney hails 'outstanding' Walsall

Last night’s 4-2 win saw the Saddlers climb six points clear of the bottom four, having now collected seven points from the last three games.

The victory also saw them leapfrog the visitors, to now sit 15th in the League One table.

And Whitney said: “We spoke as a group that this was a big period, playing teams in and around us.

“We are looking up. We put it on the chart before the game that we wanted to disappoint the teams below us.

“They will have come in and looked at the TV and seen the results, they will see they will have seen they have not pegged us back.

“I wanted a win. I told the players to play as it was the last game of the season.

“I thought we deserved it. I thought we were outstanding.”

Joe Edwards quickfire brace put the Saddlers 2-0 up midway through the first-half before Kieron Morris increased the Saddlers lead before the break.

Amadou Bakayoko then made it four before Rovers rallied with late goals from Tommy Rowe and Niall Mason to ensure a nervier-than-needed finish at the Banks’s.

Victory equalled the Saddlers biggest home win of the season and means they have now recorded seven consecutive league wins against Doncaster.

“We were disappointed with the two goals conceded at the end but to be analysing those having won the game makes it better,” said Whitney. “The win was the biggest thing. It was a big, big performance.”

“I thought it was excellent. It was great for Joe to get his brace. We saw a superb individual goal for Kieron and it was great for Ama too to come on. They were four really well worked goals. We executed the gameplan down to a tee.

“We want to finish as high as we can. We have to approach every game the same.

“For me the pressure has been on from minute one. But I have stayed consistent, I have stayed positive and I am not going to change now.”