Walsall only looking one way says loanee striker Mo Faal
Walsall striker Mo Faal has admitted that the League Two play-offs are “closer than ever” after they climbed to ninth with a 2-0 win at Harrogate Town on Saturday.
The Albion loanee climbed off the bench to open his goal scoring account for the club after Liam Gordon had given them the lead two minutes after the break.
The Saddlers trail seventh-place Gillingham by three points, but can leapfrog them in the table if they win their game in hand against Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night.
When asked if there’s talk of the play-offs in the dressing room, Faal said: “It’s in the back of everyone’s mind. We can see it now, it’s closer than ever.
“With the way that we’re going, we should definitely be thinking about it.
“Since I’ve come in, that’s always been the plan anyway and it looks like we’re edging closer and closer to it.”
The 21-year-old has taken seven games to get off the mark, albeit with four of those coming off the bench.
He admitted it was “weighing heavily” on his mind but is now hoping his maiden strike will be the lift-off moment in his Saddlers career.
“It does weigh on your mind a lot as a striker. You tend not to think about it sometimes because you can put a lot of stress and pressure on yourself but in the back of your mind it’s always there,” he admitted.
“Hopefully that can be the platform now. From my recent history of joining teams, I’ve never scored in the first few games.
“Once I get a run then I can settle in and hopefully I can get a few more.”
Jamille Matt and Josh Gordon have formed a promising attacking partnership over the past three games. Matt has scored twice in three games as he continues to deputise for club captain Donervon Daniels.
Josh Gordon is still awaiting his first goal since his return but his energy in and out of possession has proven invaluable.
Douglas James-Taylor also hit the post during his cameo from the bench and Faal feels that the striker’s union feels like a ‘mini-team within a team’.
“It’s a striker’s union. We’re all supporting each other. Recently me and Dougie have been coming on and they’re always giving us instructions of what to do or advice.
“We’ve got a fantastic range of experience. Everyone provides something different and we’re all impact players anyway so any two can come off the bench and impact the game.”
