Walsall analysis: Late leveller brings relief for Saddlers

Just how important could his late leveller prove to be? 

Well, that will be made clear at the end of the season, or even by 3pm on Saturday afternoon. 

By then, Walsall will have travelled to fourth-place-place Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday night before entertaining local rivals Port Vale in third spot at Bescot in the lunch-time kick-off on Saturday. 

The promotion picture will have taken shape by then. For now, Walsall have established a slender one-point lead at the summit after second-place Bradford City had to settle for a goalless stalemate at Accrington Stanley in the early kick-off. 

Walsall have gone seven games without tasting victory, their longest winless run during the Mat Sadler era, but they did at least show character and fight. 

A defeat could've proven catastrophic, with Wimbledon on the brink of closing the gap to three points behind Walsall after substitute Omar Bugiel placed a precise finish into the bottom corner 20 minutes from time. 

Sadler used his bench cleverly. First by bringing on George Hall, who made his comeback from a long-term hamstring injury, before introducing Levi Amantchi, Albert Adomah and Evan Weir. 

Hall in particular made an impact with his explosive qualities providing Walsall with a different dimension in the final third. 

Keeping him fit and getting him up to speed could be vital during the final stretch of the campaign.