'Where we finish that counts' - Mat Sadler assesses Walsall draw against Accrington
Mat Sadler insists the table at the end of the season is "what counts" after Walsall were held to a goalless draw against Accrington Stanley at Bescot.
Daniel Kanu came closest for Walsall in a game of few chances when he rattled the crossbar with a powerful header 15 minutes from time.
Evan Weir had a chance to snatch all three points at the death but his header was tipped over the crossbar by Ollie Wright deep into stoppage time.
That draw saw Walsall drop to fifth in League Two after Salford City, MK Dons and Cambridge United all emerged with victories.
Walsall also slipped eight points adrift of league leaders Bromley, who beat Swindon Town 2-1 at Hayes Lane.
A lack of quality in the final third
"It was a game that I do think the conditions had a part to play in. Both teams at times struggled with that last bit of quality in the final third," boss Sadler said.
"Those moments that did come our way to maybe change the course of the game. Daniel hit the bar and things were beginning to drop, but bits of industry were not quite there for either team.
"There was no quarter given by both teams and sometimes you do get games like that. We're a point closer to our goal and that's what we have to keep doing.
"We want to accumulate points. Of course, we wanted to win it but it wasn't to be today.
"It's where we are at the end of the season that counts and it is very tight in there. We're competing with teams that have got some incredible resources and who will spend whatever they like.
"We'll continue to do things our way and we'll create a football club where development counts and it means something."
'Needed brightening up' - Sadler explains Walsall substitutions
One of the biggest topics of discussion came when Sadler decided to withdraw Kanu just moments after he came agonisingly close to opening the scoring.
Jamille Matt also made way, as Fulham under-21s loanee Aaron Loupalo-Bi and the returning Aaron Pressley entered the fray.
Neither managed to make their stamp on proceedings, but Sadler argued that the game needed some fresh impetus in the final third at the time.
"Fresh legs and another opportunity for some other guys to show their talents," he explained.
"Aaron [Loupalo-Bi] has just come to the club and we know he can stretch defences, he can ball carry and he can hold up play.
"Then, Aaron Pressley brings a different dynamic to what Jamille does. We've got a good squad and the game needed a little bit of brightening up.
"We hoped that the changes might have brought that, but the conditions weren't great, so it was tough for anybody to really get a foothold in the game.
"It will be silly to think that people will play every single minute of every game. Because if you do that, you've got a very big chance of losing them for longer."
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.