04 September 2021

Derek Adams left frustrated as 10-man Walsall deny Bradford victory

04 September 2021

Bradford manager Derek Adams was frustrated his side could not break down the 10 men of Walsall in their 1-1 home draw in League Two.

Bradford’s dominant first-half display paid dividends when Elliot Watt rifled in from 20 yards.

But Jack Earing turned in an equaliser and despite the Saddlers having Joss Labadie sent off just before half-time, the Bantams failed to find a winner.

Adams said: “Unfortunately for us we haven’t won the game. We played really well throughout the afternoon.

“We had some good performances, passed it well, created so many opportunities over the game but we haven’t been able to put the ball in the back of the net.

“Nobody in this football ground thinks a draw is a fair result after that, the Walsall supporters know that but we got a draw because we haven’t been able to be clinical enough.

“It’s game over (if Charles Vernam had scored) and it could easily be five or six or seven, that is it, the game’s finished. We were so dominant in the first half.

“Some of the play that we had was really scintillating, the way we passed the ball, the way we created really good openings it was a pleasure for everyone to watch.

“There’s nothing more we could’ve done over the 90 minutes other than put the ball in the back of the net and that’s the most important thing.

“I haven’t seen the red card but I was told it was a sending off by the players and told that the player getting sent off apologised as he went off the pitch.

“We’re sitting in a good position in the league, three wins, two draws and one defeat, so today was all about how dominant we were and how good a performance that was.”

Walsall boss Matt Taylor felt his side played well out of possession in front of one of the biggest crowds in the division.

He said: “The overall emotion going through my body is proudness of the team and they’ve done everything to get the result today.

“The players have had to dig in and take their bodies probably somewhere they haven’t done so this season. And I asked them at half-time, ‘you need to give me, you need to give the coaches, you need to give the fans every single muscle in your body’.

“I thought we were immense out of possession. We had to concede possession because unfortunately that was the way we were going to get a result.

“Bradford are a very good team, they’re one of the favourites, they moved the ball better than we did 11v11.

“It’s a mental challenge for some of our younger players and the reason for that is because they wouldn’t have played in a stadium like this before with 15,000 people.

“The decision-making process that maybe in front of two or three thousand people becomes an easy decision but in an arena like this it can become a difficult decision and on this occasion our younger players stood up to that very well

“When you look at the timing of Jack (Earing) arriving in the box today for his goal was exceptional, his finish was brilliant.

“Brendan (Kiernan) there’s far more to come from him in terms of being a one on one attacker so there’s huge amount of positives today.

The best videos delivered daily

Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox