Mat Sadler Reacts as Walsall Let Lead Slip in Bradford City Defeat
21/04/2024 11:00
Walsall boss Mat Sadler reacted with disappointment following the Saddlers' 3-2 home defeat to Bradford City on Saturday afternoon.
Going into the match in search of a win to give them the best chance of securing a place in the Play-Offs, the Saddlers were able to build a two-goal lead before allowing their opponents back into the game.
Scoring via Ryan Stirk and Mo Faal, the Saddlers looked to be heading for the win before Andy Cook and Jamie Walker bagged three goals between them to secure the points for the Bantams.
Sadler, who has already guided Walsall to their best finish in several years, believed his side deserved their lead, but admitted his team were simply unable to deny their opponents in key moments.
Speaking via the Express & Star, he said: "It still feels very raw. We need a little bit of luck on Tuesday.
"We need a few results to go our way, stranger things have happened. It'd be nice to be fighting into the last day but we'll have to see how those things go. If we won the game then we'd have put ourselves right in the position.
"Sometimes you get those ding-dong strange games at the end of the season and it felt like one of those today. I thought we were really front-foot, high energy and exactly how we wanted to play.
"There was some fantastic football played and there were some moments where we could get that third goal potentially.
"It was a real sucker punch when Andy Cook got his goal. It felt like we were covered quite well at the back post but we didn't quite deal with it. It's a great striker's goal from him as hard as that is for me to say.
"The majority of the game felt like I was watching towards the opposition goal but unfortunately we couldn't quite defend the key moments today."
