Walsall 1-0 Barrow - player ratings
George Bennett rates Walsall's players after they beat Barrow 1-0 at Bescot to extend their lead at the top of League Two to four points.
Tommy Simkin - 8
Quality - Produced a top class stop to deny Emile Acquah late in the first half as he registered his eighth clean sheet of the season.
David Okagbue - 8
Supreme - Superior in the air and positionally sound throughout. Created a great chance for substitute Jamie Jellis with a measured long ball into the right channel from inside his own half.
Harry Williams - 8
Key - Largely marshalled the threat of Barrow dangerman Acquah and played a key role in the build-up to Walsall's goal with his long throw.
Taylor Allen - 8
Winner - Extended his season tally to five goals with his first half opener and defended superbly with a string of key interceptions.
Ryan Stirk - 7
Selfless - Unselfishly teed up Allen in the build-up to his opener and worked tirelessly to battle the illness which eventually forced him off just before the hour.
Connor Barrett - 7
Solid - Tracked back constantly in an overall solid defensive performance and connected well with Jellis following his second half introduction.
Jack Earing - 7
Grew - Took a while to settle into the game on only his fourth league start of the season but grew into the contest.
Charlie Lakin - 9
Standout - A bundle of energy throughout. Does so much of the dirty work on and off the ball and performed equally well after dropping into the holding role following Stirk's injury.
Liam Gordon - 8
Threat - Had the beating of Rory Feely on a number of occasions and drove a powerful effort wide with his weaker foot from distance in the first half.
Jamille Matt - 8
Impressed - Posed a threat with his back to goal and demonstrated that age is just a number with a couple of mesmerising runs in the second half.
Nathan Lowe - 7
Battled - Completed 90 minutes despite struggling with illness through the week and had a great chance to score when he fired into the side netting from an acute angle.
Substitutes
Jamie Jellis (for Stirk, 56) - 7
Returned from a calf injury and looked his usual energetic self as he was denied one-on-one by Paul Farman.
Oisin McEntee (for Matt, 82)
Albert Adomah (for Earing, 83)
Unused: Hornby, Daniels, Weir, Johnson.
