'Aden Flint, set pieces and key subs' 5 key takeaways from Walsall's opening day win

Evan Weir's picked out the top corner with a firecracker of a free-kick inside eight minutes, before Brandon Comley's sending off completely changed the complexion of the game. 

Swindon levelled from the spot through Will Wright 11 minutes from time, but Connor Barrett propelled the Saddlers to victory with a dramatic stoppage time winner.

Here are the key talking points from the win:

Is Aden Flint the missing link? 

Aden Flint was handed the armband on his Walsall debut, and he looked and very much played the part from the outset. 

He offered a towering presence in the centre of the back-line and demonstrated his leadership qualities with a vocal performance. 

His guidance helped the likes of Rico Browne and Evan Weir thrive, and one can only imagine that he will have a similar impact on the likes of Harrison Burke and Dan Cox. 

The 36-year-old hardly missed a beat, and while critics questioned whether he still had the legs, clearly that first 10 yards are ingrained in his mind.  

Set pieces in safe hands 

Taylor Allen scored three times from free-kicks last term and even netted directly from a corner in a 3-2 win over Notts County in December last year. 

His numbers, especially from his position on the pitch, will be difficult to replace, but Weir made a promising start as his successor. 

It took just eight minutes for the Irishman to find his range when he unleashed a spectacular free-kick inside Connor Ripley's near post from distance. 

Weir got off the mark for Walsall in style and this will hopefully set the tone for a breakthrough season after spending his debut campaign developing in the shadow of Allen. 

Key substitutions 

Mat Sadler proved his worth with his substitutions. He had a big call to make when Comley was dismissed midway into the first half and he played his cards superbly. 

Jonny Stuttle was reluctantly sacrificed and Walsall switched to a 3-1-4-1, with new signing Lewis Warrington deployed at the base of midfield. 

Aaron Pressley did everything he possibly could: winning free-kicks, pressing relentlessly and serving as a focal point in the rare moments Walsall ventured forward after going down to 10-men. 

After his tireless shift, Albert Adomah took over, and Courtney Clarke provided fresh legs with an auspicious debut cameo from the bench. 

He played an instrumental role in Barrett's eventual winner when his one-two teed the wing-back up for his first Walsall goal in the 91st-minute. 

Priestley Farquharson's comeback 

Priestley Farquharson has been eased back into the fold during pre-season and he was introduced for the closing stages to make his first competitive appearance in almost a year. 

If Walsall can keep him fit then they will have tremendous strength in depth in defence, with Farquharson capable of playing on both the right and the centre of the back-three. 

Strength in depth 

More on that, Sadler has quite the squad to choose from, which was illustrated by his decision to leave out Cox, Vincent Harper, Ronan Maher and Josh Gordon from his match day squad. 

He will have an even bigger selection headache with Burke set to return from a minor ankle injury for the Saddlers' trip to Gillingham on Saturday.