Mat Sadler says Walsall ought to have "hurt" Barnet more in the first half.

 

After a close 2-1 victory at the Hive Stadium, Mat Sadler said Walsall should have "hurt" Barnet more in the first half.

Connor Barrett gave Walsall the lead early on when he scooped a low cutback from Charlie Lakin past Cieran Slicker, the custodian for Barnet. 

 In the twenty-second minute, Aaron Pressley scored Walsall's second goal after going unmarked and stabbing Mason Hancock's free-kick into the far corner.

A drastically different second half resulted from Ollie Hawkins' close-range header of Anthony Hartigan's corner throw just before halftime, cutting the Bees' deficit in half. 

 "We made it into a game that wasn't necessary. First off, we got off to a great start in the way we believed we would harm them throughout the transition," Sadler remarked.

It was an incredibly well-executed goal. After Charlie [Lakin] performed admirably, Connor [Barrett] assumed the roles we wanted him to.

Reflecting on the performance, Sadler said: “I thought we started really well. We got into some good areas and played with good tempo, but we should have made that pressure count. In games like these, you have to be clinical – we should have hurt them more in that first half.”

Barnet weathered the storm and grew into the contest after the break, forcing Walsall to defend deeper and deal with spells of pressure. The shift in momentum left Sadler frustrated that his side’s strong start had not been rewarded with goals.

“We spoke about being ruthless before the game,” he continued. “The energy and intent were there, but we need to turn those spells of dominance into something tangible. At this level, teams will always have moments, and if you don’t take your chances, you leave the door open.”

Despite the disappointment, Sadler was keen to highlight positives. He praised the team’s work rate and organisation, noting that the Saddlers still created opportunities and showed resilience when Barnet pushed forward. But his overriding message was clear – a sharper edge in front of goal is required if Walsall are to turn performances into consistent results.

“There are good signs,” Sadler added. “We’re building something, but we have to be more clinical. The lads know that, and it’s something we’ll keep working on.”

For Walsall, the fixture served as both a reminder of their potential and a warning about the fine margins of football. As Sadler stressed, early pressure must be converted into goals if the Saddlers are to make their dominance truly count.

Reflecting on the performance, Sadler said: “I thought we started really well. We got into some good areas and played with good tempo, but we should have made that pressure count. In games like these, you have to be clinical – we should have hurt them more in that first half.”

Barnet weathered the storm and grew into the contest after the break, forcing Walsall to defend deeper and deal with spells of pressure. The shift in momentum left Sadler frustrated that his side’s strong start had not been rewarded with goals.

“We spoke about being ruthless before the game,” he continued. “The energy and intent were there, but we need to turn those spells of dominance into something tangible. At this level, teams will always have moments, and if you don’t take your chances, you leave the door open.”

Despite the disappointment, Sadler was keen to highlight positives. He praised the team’s work rate and organisation, noting that the Saddlers still created opportunities and showed resilience when Barnet pushed forward. But his overriding message was clear – a sharper edge in front of goal is required if Walsall are to turn performances into consistent results.

“There are good signs,” Sadler added. “We’re building something, but we have to be more clinical. The lads know that, and it’s something we’ll keep working on.”

For Walsall, the fixture served as both a reminder of their potential and a warning about the fine margins of football. As Sadler stressed, early pressure must be converted into goals if the Saddlers are to make their dominance truly count.

Reflecting on the performance, Sadler said: “I thought we started really well. We got into some good areas and played with good tempo, but we should have made that pressure count. In games like these, you have to be clinical – we should have hurt them more in that first half.”

Barnet weathered the storm and grew into the contest after the break, forcing Walsall to defend deeper and deal with spells of pressure. The shift in momentum left Sadler frustrated that his side’s strong start had not been rewarded with goals.

“We spoke about being ruthless before the game,” he continued. “The energy and intent were there, but we need to turn those spells of dominance into something tangible. At this level, teams will always have moments, and if you don’t take your chances, you leave the door open.”

Despite the disappointment, Sadler was keen to highlight positives. He praised the team’s work rate and organisation, noting that the Saddlers still created opportunities and showed resilience when Barnet pushed forward. But his overriding message was clear – a sharper edge in front of goal is required if Walsall are to turn performances into consistent results.

“There are good signs,” Sadler added. “We’re building something, but we have to be more clinical. The lads know that, and it’s something we’ll keep working on.”

For Walsall, the fixture served as both a reminder of their potential and a warning about the fine margins of football. As Sadler stressed, early pressure must be converted into goals if the Saddlers are to make their dominance truly count.

Read more at;https://www.allsportnews.co.uk