Point well made as Walsall hit Boundary

FOUR points from two games makes for a happy start to the season for Walsall boss Jon Whitney, as he carries on a rebuilding job at last season’s playoff semi-finalists.

The Saddlers’ record signing Andreas Makris made Connor Ripley stretch every sinew to tip aside a fine shot as the visitors came into the second half at Boundary Park with a lightning start to the second period.

That effort came after Simeon Jackson had forced Ripley into a sharp near-post shot as debutant Franck Moussa pulled most of the strings from the midfield area.

Oldham bossed the first half and Walsall’s £2m-rated defender Rico Henry injured himself clearing superbly from a Marc Klok free-kick and had to be carried off.

Walsall responded well at the start of the second period but Oldham had opportunities of their own.

Billy McKay headed into the arms of Neil Etheridge and Lee Erwin should have opened his goal account for the hosts.

Ryan Flynn broke clear on goal and after the ball bounced up and came off Etheridge’s chest, Erwin could only direct his follow-up header against an upright.

“I thought it was a fair result,” said Whitney.

“In the first 20 minutes of the second half, I thought ‘we can go on and win this’.

“We controlled it and had momentum. Then there was a turning point when they got a corner and that lifted their crowd a bit more, after they had made changes to go more defensive due to us having a lot of the play.

“We had Franck Moussa getting on the ball in midfield and causing them problems and Andreas Makris looked a threat in the final third.

“All in all, I would be happy if you had said to me before the season that by the second week we would have four points from games against Wimbledon and Oldham.”

Oldham boss Stephen Robinson felt the final result should have been different. “We should have come away with three points,” he said.

“We had the lion’s share of the game against a really good team who pop the ball around really well.

“We created a lot of chances and I was disappointed we didn’t win.

“Paul Green was excellent, as he has been in every game since he has come in along with Peter Clarke.

“He gives you a good seven-and-a-half out of ten every week.

“They lead the boys and we had a lot of tired legs, so leaders are needed.”