The Saddlers hard fought 2-1 victory over Rochdale yesterday saw us go joint second in League 1 and stretch our unbeaten start to the season to six games.
Goals from Josh Ginnelly and Zeli Ismail was enough for the Saddlers to get all three points but we made it difficult for ourselves, conceding straight after we scored our second and Ismail was later sent off for a second bookable offence.
But our pride of lions threw everything on the line once more to come away with all three points and it is really difficult not to get carried away. After all we had to endure the dross of the past two seasons so to see a side with pride and organisation gives you a warm fuzzy feeling just as much as the results!
Lets he honest, no one expected this start given twenty four hours before our first game we were so weak in defence and upfront but Keates is slowly turning this side into something special and time and time again he and this season is being compared to that famous 98/99 season under Sir Ray.
The last two away games have seen us ride our luck but we have come out with six points. If at the end of the season we continue to do that then a top six spot is not out the question, in a division which seems weaker than years gone by.
Keates kept the same side which defeated Wimbledon in the week, with Morris keeping Ismail out the side. But it was the hosts that started brightly with the Saddlers unable to hold onto possession however for all their possession Rochdale struggled to test Roberts.
Hendersons flick which rebounded off Guthrie’s knee and into the side netting was the closest the hosts came in the opening twenty minutes.
But just like Tuesday it was the visitors that took the lead first. Normann was hounded by Cook and Ferrier like a pack of Wolves and his misplaced pass found Josh Ginnelly who placed it into the net from twenty five yards.
Rochdale came back again. Leahy gave a needless free kick out on the left and the ball found McNulty who headed wide when he should have found the target.
However the Saddlers got to half time in front and Keates made an enforced substitution at the break with Zeli Ismail coming on for goalscorer Josh Ginnelly.
The second half was just as scrappy as the first with Done heading wide from a decent cross. However Rochdale should have been level on the hour mark as MJ Williams found himself free ten yards out but somehow managed to lean back and fire over.
The Saddlers went 2-0 up as Zeli Ismail who had replaced Ginnelly at half time burst into the box before firing a superb finish into the top corner.
Moments later and the deficit was halved as Andrew was left free in the box but his header rebounded off the post for Camps to tap in.
Andy Cook had two chances for the Saddlers in the final ten minutes but somehow the ball stayed out.
We now have a break from league action as we take on Macclesfield in the second round of the Carabao Cup, hoping to join the big boys in Round 3 before returning back to league action next Saturday against Blackpool.
Whatever you have planned for next Saturday get out of it and get yourself to the Bescot and support this team. Something special is happening and why wouldn’t you want to be a apart of it?!