Analysis: Walsall showcase resilient streak to salvage a point in Crawley
Walsall showcased resilience in a game of two halves to salvage a point on the road at Crawley Town and extend their unbeaten run to eight games in League Two.
It was an opportunity missed to seriously stretch their lead at the top over second-place Swindon Town, who trail them by two points with a game in hand.
But Walsall certainly would've taken a point when they were 1-0 behind at the break after a lacklustre first half display.
Mat Sadler himself admitted that Walsall were "not quite at it" before the break and Crawley could quite easily have led by more.
McKirdy constantly threatened between the lines and Walsall struggled to get to grips with the midfield battle.
Brandon Comley was recalled to the midfield along with Jamie Jellis, as Lewis Warrington and Ryan Finnigan dropped out. Finnigan was named on the bench, although Warrington only travelled as the 19th man.
Jellis was guilty of giving the ball away too often in the first half, but he improved as the game went on, and will certainly be looking to kick on after a difficult few months.
Walsall were also guilty of leaving too much space in behind down the flanks, especially down Walsall's right with Courtney Clarke getting caught raiding forward, as he deputised for Vincent Harper.
Aaron Pressley did have an effort from distance impressively tipped on to the crossbar inside the opening 60 seconds, but that was as dangerous as Walsall looked in the first period.
