Walsall boss Mat Sadler said his side’s comeback victory over fellow high-fliers Bromley felt like a “really important win” as they kept hold of top spot in League Two with a 3-1 success.
Ben Krauhaus put the visitors ahead, but second-half goals from Daniel Kanu, Ryan Finnigan and Courtney Clarke halted the Ravens’ four-match winning run.
“In the end the win comes from crosses, from set-plays, but they are a tough nut to crack and we knew we had to be at our best, as we were in the second half,” Sadler said.
“We have unbelievable set-piece delivery and we were all desperate to try to turn something around that we knew would be a really significant result.
“It feels like a really important win against a team I know will be up there.
“As a manager, I’ve said from day one I want to win matches in different ways. I see this division as, ‘Can you have as many threats as possible to win different types of games?’
“Today, set-plays were key, but they came from just being that bit braver in possession, getting the ball wide, creating the momentum and that turned into opportunities on goal.”
Bromley had hopes of going top themselves heading into the game, but boss Andy Woodman had few arguments about the result.
The Ravens had chances to increase their lead, but Krauhaus shot weakly when well placed, while Michael Cheek had a goal
ruled out for offside and was thwarted by Saddlers goalkeeper Myles Roberts, who also kept out Idris Odutayo’s 30-yard effort.
They were punished from set-plays as Kanu and Finnigan were set up by headers back across goal before Clarke sealed the points on the break deep in added time.
“It’s really about where you finish at the end of the season – as much as we would have liked to have had a little pat on the back and hit the summit, it wasn’t to be,” Woodman said.
“We were guilty of not putting them to bed in the first half. We had a couple of good chances and I felt we should definitely have got a second, if not a third.
“You can’t come to Walsall and miss those chances and expect them not to have moments in the second half.
“It’s disappointing, but we had a real go today. We didn’t come here to just shut up shop and get a draw, we came to win and we fell short.
“We had to defend those moments a little bit better, take our chances when we had them and we didn’t do that today and we got punished.”
