Mat Sadler: Walsall giving themselves mountains to climb

Walsall conceded within two minutes in the 2-0 defeat at Swindon, and after 15 minutes in the 2-1 victory over Salford.

And Sadler insists focus levels need to improve in the early stages of games to prevent them from giving themselves an uphill battle to contend with.

"We need to focus on how we approach the start of the game with our mentality, our focus, and our willingness to make sure that whatever happens, we're not coming out early doors, and having to chase a game," Sadler said.

"Because we've had to do that in the last two games, and you could probably say the last three games with the Salford game thrown in.

Taylor Allen was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Omar Bugiel in the 37th minute.

It was the most controversial incident of the game with the decision appearing very harsh.

That was also how Sadler saw it, although he revealed that he will need to see a closer angle of the challenge before making any definitive judgments on the decision.

He revealed: "It didn't look like it from me [to be a red card]. I've just seen an angle of it but it's too far away to see so we need to see if we can get a closer view of it.

"It felt harsh at the time. I didn't see that coming, I don't think any of their players felt that it was the decision he was going to make.

"I think Taylor actually has his back turned as he goes into it. I'll look at it to see if we can get anything out of it.

"If we can get a close enough shot of it then that will be where the decision will lie. As I say those sliding doors, those fine margins. You hit the bar and then within three or seconds you've got a player sent off.

"It obviously alters the ability for us to really focus and get ourselves into the game, as it did last week."

Walsall fought their way back into the game with an equaliser from Freddie Draper, just minutes after Owen Evans denied Armani Little from the spot.

However, Wimbledon restored their lead two minutes later courtesy of Jack Currie's deflected strike.

Ali Al-Hamadi added a third for Wimbledon in the 83rd minute, and Sadler admitted it was frustrating to concede so soon after getting back on level terms.

"When you do get back into the game you need a spell of five or six minutes when you don't concede a goal," he added.

"That is difficult as a coach and then when they score a third you think we just need to go out of the game at that point.

"It was going to be extremely difficult for us to get back into the game. It's difficult, it's not the sort of scenario you want to face, but it's the nature of the beast, and we have to adapt."

Priestley Farquharson limped off with a serious looking injury inside the opening 20 minutes, before Oisin McEntee made way late on.

Sadler issued an update on both players, but warned that Farquharson's injury could be the worst of the two.

"Hopefully Oisin is not too bad. We'll see how that settles down over the next couple of days. I don't know but hopefully it's not too bad," he concluded.

"We won't know about Priestley until we have a scan but it doesn't look like a great one. That is something we will assess, although my initial thoughts were that it was a bit of a bad one."