"Encouraging signs" - Lee Grant reacts to Walsall's pre-season draw with Notts County

Lee Grant feels Walsall showed “encouraging signs” of improvement during their goalless draw against Notts County at Bescot.

The Saddlers have failed to score in any of their friendlies played in front of supporters, but produced arguably their best performance of pre-season in their final exhibition, before the competitive action begins.

Lewis Simper saw his close-range finish blocked behind, before Andrew Dallas curled a speculative shot from the edge of the box just wide.

Dallas then forced a smart save from James Belshaw early in the second half, although Jed Ward also had to prove his worth between the sticks for Walsall too.

Ward sprawled to his right to beat Maz Kouhyar’s free-kick to safety and won his battle of wits with Darius Lipsiuc, after emerging to deny him one-on-one.

“Encouraging signs” - Grant on Walsall draw

“Lots of encouraging signs. We’re playing a team in the league above, which is never easy,” Grant said.

“A team that has probably taken good momentum into the season off the back of a positive ending to last.

“But I thought we acquitted ourselves really well from an intensity perspective and the things that we asked from them tactically.”

Reece Smith showed promise on his Bescot bow and Dallas threatened between the lines either side of half-time, which was the Saddlers’ best period of the game.

Grant on his attacking options

Grant praised the “adaptability” and “variety” of his attacking options, and felt that the only thing which was lacking from the performance was a goal.

“We think we’ve got forwards that can do lots of different things for us and offer us lots of adaptability in terms of their position and their role,” Grant continued.

“All of the forwards showed that today. That’s really pleasing, we want to see more of it because probably the piece that was missing today was the goal.

“We created enough situations to maybe warrant that, but there were lots of encouraging signs today.”

He continued: “Like anything, you have to look at how we can improve on it.

“We’re not also expecting this group to come together, and be all singing and dancing from day one, because we’re working with a group that’s 50 per cent or maybe more, brand new.

“But for sure, when we have an opportunity like today presented. We played really well, had lots of the football and created good opportunities.

“We want to win those sorts of games, so it’s something for us to look at and work on.”