Saddlers rue ‘goal’ that should have been

WALSALL boss Mat Sadler says his side must use the hurt they are feeling to drive a play-off push.

The Saddlers went behind in 90 seconds to League Two top scorer Macaulay Longstaff ’s 26th league goal of the season, but Josh Gordon had an equaliser wrongly ruled offside.

“I’m frustrated we conceded so early,” said Sadler. “But there were many frustrations – the goal that Josh scores is frustrating, disallowed for offside but it wasn’t. He’s definitely onside.

“Sometimes football is like that – we are at the whim of human decisions and human errors, and that’s the same for us, we are all fallible. But they didn’t go our way today.

“Chances came and went, we didn’t tuck them away in key moments. We hit the post in the first 30 seconds of the second half, those moments are pivotal in games.

“The good thing is that with how results played out elsewhere, it’s kind of as you were.”

Macaulay Langstaff’s 26th league goal this season and Aaron Nemane’s stunner put County in control and although Mo Faal pulled one back despite Brandon Comley’s red card, Sam Austin sealed it.

County led in the second minute, Langstaff given time to control and slot home Alassana Jatta’s pullback.

After Walsall’s

Josh Gordon had the equaliser ruled out for offside, County doubled their lead on 28 minutes as Nemane beat three men before lashing home from 15 yards.

Half-time Walsall sub Faal headed against the post within a minute of coming on but it looked game over when Comley received a second booking for needlessly tripping Dan Crowley.

However, Walsall were the better side with 10 men and Kyle Cameron cleared off the line from Douglas James-Taylor before Faal swept home Liam Gordon’s pass on 68 minutes.

But just a minute later Austin’s shot crept in despite keeper Owen Evans getting two hands to it, to leave Walsall three points off seventh.

County, meanwhile, registered back-toback wins for the first time under boss Stuart Maynard but the play-offs are out of reach barring a miracle. “I’m delighted with back-to-back wins for the boys, they deserve it,” he said. “It hindered us a little bit when they went down to ten men because the game went a bit chaotic and it took a bit of structure out of the game.”