Taylor not considering relegation battles yet
MATT Taylor insisted his Walsall side are not in a relegation scrap despite slipping to 21st after defeat to Northampton sent the Saddlers spinning to a sixth successive loss.
The hosts failed to recover from Northampton’s opener after ten minutes, with new Cobblers striker Louis Appere claiming he got the final touch to divert home Mitch Pinnock’s free-kick.
Walsall had chances to level but former keeper Liam Roberts was in inspired form in the Town goal, denying George Miller, Jack Earing and Conor Wilkinson to help Northampton climb to fourth.
Taylor said: “I don’t think we’re in a relegation battle – we’re in a really bad vein of form.
“We are not in a position I believe the players deserve to be in based on their ability but we are in that position because we haven’t performed consistently enough.
“The performance was better today but we’ve still not got a result so it’s got to be better again on Tuesday and we’ve got to get a result.
Pinnock was credited with the Cobblers’ early winner as his free-kick nestled in the bottom corner, although deadline-day arrival Appere claimed to have the final touch.
But Northampton were grateful to three fine saves from Roberts to preserve the points.
He pushed away Miller’s 30-yard effort and produced a smart low save to thwart Earing before the break.
The Cobblers nearly doubled their lead early in the second half as Walsall keeper Carl Rushworth spilled Shaun McWilliams’ routine shot but atoned by saving follow-ups from Appere and Paul Lewis.
Rushworth later saved well from Sam Hoskins’ free-kick to keep the Saddlers in it.
They almost pinched a point with a late rally but Roberts made a superb diving stop to deny Wilkinson, who later fired inches over from 20 yards.
Cobblers boss Jon Brady was delighted by the impact of debutant striker Appere, a capture from Dundee United.
He said: “It was good instinct from him. He nearly had a second one. It was a good start for him today, a positive.
“The way we stood up to them today in really difficult conditions with swirling wind – we put bodies on the line and came out with the three points so I’m proud.”