Walsall's Danny Johnson has eyes on previous goal tally

The 30-year-old added one more to his total at Mansfield to finish the campaign with 16. Johnson got off the mark with an equaliser in the 38th minute, but Morecambe came away with three points courtesy of goals from Adam Mayor and Ferrend Rawson.

The striker admitted Morecambe's late winner took the shine off his goal, but is confident that Walsall can bounce back.

"To get that goal on the first game of the season means a lot to me. Their goal at the end took the shine off it, but personally I've got my goal, and I can move forward now," Johnson said.

"I've got my first goal now, so the next one will be to get double figures, and after that it'll be to beat my record from last year by the middle of January.

"Then we'll reassess to see where I can reach by the end of the season."

He added: "There is a really good set of lads there. Part of the reason why I came back was that I knew the lads, and there is a good spirit in there.

"We're a bit down after that last minute loss but we'll bounce back and keep going."

Johnson had a low effort tipped onto the post by Stuart Moore late in the second half, before Morecambe snatched the victory in stoppage time.

He was pleased to see Walsall create so many opportunities, but admitted the luck didn't fall on the Saddlers' side this afternoon.

"I thought we were really good. We were a bit sloppy in the first half, we didn't quite play how we wanted to, but we did well in the second half," he observed.

"We couldn't get that second goal and then it's cost us at the end. This is League Two football, and they made it count with the set piece. We were in and around the box but we couldn't get that opening.

"I had one where the keeper has flicked it onto the post and it's gone straight back to him. On another day, that goes in the bottom corner, or bounces to one of our lads coming in.

"It wasn't to be today but you can see that we're getting into those positions, it was just that final moment that we needed to come off."

Harry Williams also came in for his professional debut after Priestley Farquharson sustained a groin injury in the open training session on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old, who was signed from non-league Alvechurch in the summer, impressed Johnson when he was on trial during pre-season.

Johnson believes Williams thoroughly deserved to receive the nod and has backed him for a bright future.

"Harry came in for his professional debut today and he did brilliantly. The moment he came in on trial and he was playing against me. He was grabbing me and I told him that I don't like that and to leave me alone," he revealed.

"But if he keeps doing that, he'll go onto have a good career alongside those experienced lads. I am pleased for him because he deserved that."