Mat Sadler heaps praise onto group of Walsall players despite game time frustrations

Douglas James-Taylor made just his second league start of the season due to Jamille Matt's groin injury, and opened his goal scoring account in the league this season to equalize seven minutes before half-time.

The 22-year-old unlocked the Grimsby defence with a frightening turn of pace to manufacture a chance for himself, and turned provider moments later for Isaac Hutchinson.

Danny Johnson replaced Freddie Draper during the first half for his first appearance since the defeat at Accrington Stanley, and scored Walsall's sixth in second half stoppage time.

Johnson has started just twice in the league since the start of November, and has struggled for minutes since his return to Walsall, but Sadler was delighted to see both James-Taylor and Johnson get their just rewards.

"We had a game plan within a game. We know that Grimsby are now wanting to play football, they want to play out from the back and they want to play through the thirds," the Walsall boss noted.

"That's exactly how Dave did it with Crewe and he's trying to do it here. We knew they'd have a certain way of playing and we knew that we would need to be really good out of possession to stop those switches of play, which ultimately hurt when you are a back-three playing against a back-four.

"I thought Danny (Johnson) was fantastic when he came on in helping that. I actually think the goal that they scored comes from the fact that Freddie couldn't move in that moment and probably needed to come off.

"He was trying as hard as he could to get through it, but he wasn't able to recover into his defensive shape, which then meant they played through the middle of us.

"The work that those guys have been putting in when they've not been playing has been spot on and they got their rewards. The same with Taylor (Allen).

"Really inspirational the work that those guys have put in, and I am so pleased that Danny got his goal at the end there because he deserved that for his performance. As did Douglas, as did Isaac, as did Jack, and Priestley as well."

Hutchinson's brace saw him overtake Draper as Walsall's leading scorer - extending his season tally to 11, as he reached double figures in all competitions for the first time in his career.

Jack Earing has also enjoyed a sensational week - scoring in back-to-back games, and penning an 18-month contract at the Besot.

Priestley Farquharson also scored his first goal for Walsall, and Sadler paid tribute to just how crucial the defender has been since his return from injury.

Sadler revealed: "We always had in our head that he had 60 minutes today. We didn't want to kill him.

"We're really conscious of that overload in spike of work that he has done, t he has shown what a good player he is.

"Jack is one hell of a player, as is Priestley. He's an absolute warrior of a defender for us, and he then allows Donervon step in.

"On the back of Wrexham last week, I was having a conversation with Donervon on Sunday about how we was playing as a third or fourth striker in the game because he was in the penalty area so often."

"But I want him to have that freedom but he knows he can have that because Priestley is keeping the backdoor closed for him. I am proud of all of them."