Matt Taylor: Walsall have had time to progress

But the 39-year-old has vowed to keep pushing his players as they bid to extend their unbeaten run in League Two to seven matches.

The Saddlers welcome Harrogate to the Banks’s Stadium tomorrow with the two teams appearing to be heading in opposite directions.

While Walsall started the season slowly, with just one win in their first seven matches – the Sulphurites flew out the blocks and won five of their opening six games.

Over the past month, though, the fortunes have turned for both sides.

Taylor’s Saddlers are much improved and would have made it 10 games unbeaten had they got a result in the EFL Trophy against Forest Green on Wednesday.

Ultimately they lost that game. But that defeat came with the massive caveat that Walsall had already booked their place in the second round.

Harrogate, meanwhile, have lost four and drawn one of their last five games – with the one win coming in the FA Cup against National League outfit Wrexham.

Asked why his side is now on an upward curve, Taylor said the answer – simply – is time.

“They say if you continue to do what you have always done and you don’t get results – that is the first sign of insanity,” the head coach said.

“But what we have done is continue with our process.

“And the reason why we have continued with our process is because I believe that is our identity.

“The players just needed a period of time to grasp that and become more confident with it.

“Have we done that? Yes. But have we become more ruthless when it comes to taking our chances? Yes.

“But in the last three games we have kept two clean sheets in the league – and clean sheets always give you a big opportunity to win a game because we will always create chances.

“There is lots to like about us at the moment.

“But my job is to continually push the players and make sure, on a daily basis, they are pushing themselves because that is far more powerful than me continually shouting at them.

“If as a group they are driving each other then we are really onto something.”

Harrogate have a dangerous front two with Luke Armstrong and Jack Muldoon having already scored 14 goals between them this season.

Asked what threat the pair – and Harrogate will pose – Taylor said: “They are a team with a clear philosophy and a clear identity and it’s serving them well. I like what they do, I enjoy their effort off the ball, trying to win it back.

“Harrogate are a team with lots of players with high energy.

“And they start games extremely well so we are going to have to make sure we match their effort.

“But it feels good to be back home. It feels like it’s been a considerable amount of time since we played at home in the league. I’m very much looking forward to it.”