Keates content with Walsall point at Burton

Posted Sunday, March 03, 2019 by PA

Walsall boss Dean Keates was the happier of the two managers as he watched his side follow up last week’s 3-2 victory over Bradford with a solid point from a goalless draw at Burton.

Albion goalkeeper Brad Collins produced an outstanding reaction save, diving away to his left to claw away Josh Gordon’s goal-bound effort from Matt Jarvis’ teasing cross 11 minutes from time.

Keates said: “There are a lot more positives than negatives for us. We wanted a clean sheet, which we got, and on another day if the keeper doesn’t get a fingertip to Josh’s header we walk away with three points.

“The keeper has pulled off an unbelievable save from the header. Josh has got as much power on the header as he could and the minimum you expect is to make the keeper save it and he has made a great save.”

After Burton had been the better side in the first half, it was the visitors who pressed more after half-time much to the delight of their boss.

Keates added: “We spoke about it at half-time and felt we had another 15 or 20 per cent left in us. Second half, all credit to the lads, we were on the front foot and I thought we dominated from there. Jarvis has put one just across the near post and then there is the unbelievable save from Josh’s header.”

Burton boss Nigel Clough admitted his side are struggling for results at home, having gone six games without a win, and they have scored just once in their last four league games.

He said: “It’s a struggle for us at the moment in terms of creating chances. We had a few but not many and when they are dropping we are not putting them away.

“The main chance we had fell to David Templeton and the defender has got a block in right in front of the keeper. If that goes in it’s a different game. Walsall worked extremely hard to stop us first and foremost. Very organised and then they grew in confidence on the back of the first half and their result last week which we knew would be the case.”

Clough also reserved praise for Collins after he helped secure a point.

He added: “He has had so little to do over the last few games. For such a young goalkeeper to have the concentration and then be able to pull out the save that he did, it was a magnificent save.

“It’s always a good sign for a goalkeeper when the striker thinks he has scored and then it gets saved.”