'Odds are against us' - Darren Byfield reacts to Walsall's defeat at Swindon

Darren Byfield has admitted that the “odds are against” Walsall in the League Two play-off race after they lost 2-1 against Swindon Town at the County Ground.

Jamie Jellis opened the scoring in the 66th-minute when he emerged from the bench to steer Aaron Loupalo-Bi’s delivery into the far corner.

But fellow substitute Fletcher Hollman capitalised on a defensive error from Vincent Harper to drive a low finish beyond the reach of Myles Roberts.

And Jake Batty pounced after a moment of hesitation from Aden Flint to square for Aaron Drinan to score the winner in stoppage time.

Chesterfield, Crewe Alexandra, Grimsby Town and Barnet all emerged with victories to leave Walsall six points adrift of the League Two play-offs.

‘The odds are against us’

Byfield has stressed that he will not be giving up until it’s mathematically possible, but conceded that the odds are against Walsall.

“It’s still mathematically possible. You keep going until it’s not but I’m not going to sugarcoat it or anything,” interim head coach Byfield said.

“We know today was a game that we wanted to win and had to win, but we have a duty to see these games out and make sure we’re on it.

“It’s challenging because we know we’re running out of games. I knew it would be tough to just jump straight into the play-offs.

“But what I won’t do is think it’s all over. I won’t because we’ve got to keep going and hope that things can happen and change.

“The odds are against us, but we have a duty to bring those performances, that desire and that attitude so that our fans see that nobody is downing tools.”

Jellis ended his 14-month goal drought with his first strike since scoring in a 2-0 win at Morecambe in February 2025.

‘It really hurt’

But Walsall ultimately succumbed to their first defeat under Byfield after a five-match unbeaten run.

And Byfield, who made seven changes from the 2-2 draw against Gillingham on Good Friday, feels individual mistakes proved costly for his side.

He added: “That hurt, it really hurt because the boys played so well.

“We changed something slightly in terms of how we were going to attack because we don’t have Patto.

“So we had to find a different way to hurt their back-line and we did it so well until that 81st-minute.

“It was two individual mistakes where we have to be better. It’s the same old story again where we played well but have nothing to show for it.

“That can’t be us. We have to change that, but they played so well and I was stood there in the 80th-minute thinking, come on boys, get another one and let’s see this through.

“Then we gave away two costly goals.”