Walsall boss Mat Sadler believes Rochdale provided 'League Two test' and explains Danny Johnson absence
Walsall head coach Mat Sadler believes the 1-1 draw against Rochdale on Friday was the closest challenge to League Two football they've faced in pre-season.
Devante Rodney opened the scoring for Rochdale just before the half-hour mark, before Isaac Hutchinson rescued a draw with a stunning strike 14 minutes from time.
The Saddlers have taken two draws and a victory from pre-season so far, and Sadler was impressed by their response in the second half.
"What was great from my perspective was that this was a real League Two type game," Sadler said.
"You can go through a lot of pre-season programmes and not have games like this. The Villa one is a very different opposition to what you're likely to play.
"Then the Leamington game can sometimes be a little bit false. There were loads of good challenges to come out of tonight.
"We were relentless in the second half and it became what I hoped it would be. A very positive second half performance, where there were very few counter-attacks allowed.
"Playing the way that I want us to - really front foot - teams will get out at times. It's up to us to get back into our shape as quickly as we can to go and press again. So, it's hard work."
Sadler also explained Danny Johnson's absence from the squad.
"Danny Johnson's wife is heavily pregnant so there's just a few bits and pieces with that. But he's absolutely fine."
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.