Walsall head coach Mat Sadler admitted his table-topping side paid for their slow start after needing a superb strike from Connor Barrett to earn a 1-1 draw at struggling Crawley.
Barrett fired into the far corner eight minutes after the break to cancel out a first-half header from Ryan Loft, Crawley having missed a penalty through Harry McKirdy in only the fourth minute.
The Saddlers are now unbeaten in their last eight League Two games and Sadler was relieved to come away with something after a below-par first-half showing.
He said: “I’m pleased with the result. We’re 12 games in with still a new group and the second half will be a brilliant reference point as we grow and develop.
“The second half was what we are about, but unfortunately in the first half we were a yard off it.
“In the end it was exactly what I want to see. I was expecting a second goal, but it didn’t happen so we take a point and move on. We gave Crawley just what they expected in the second half.”
Sadler singled out Barrett for special praise and said: “He’s faster and has more energy than everyone. I’m delighted with some of the things he does.”
Crawley boss Scott Lindsey felt the display was his side’s “best performance by a mile”, with the draw ending a run of three successive league defeats.
Lindsey said: “It was a 90-minute performance and our best display definitely.
“It is clear we are millimetres away from being a good side and I take a lot of heart from that.”
Crawley opted to play McKirdy in a false 10 role behind centre-forwards Kabongo Tshimanga and Loft and Lindsey reckoned the move worked to perfection, even if he did see his early penalty saved by Myles Roberts.
Lindsey added: “It was a courageous thing for me to against the league leaders, but Walsall weren’t expecting it and it rocked them.
“It gave us more attacking prowess – we were outstanding and deserved more than a point. But it’s a start to where we need to go now.”
