26 December 2022

Michael Flynn hails Walsall’s character after win at Swindon

26 December 2022

Walsall manager Michael Flynn hailed his players’ character after a dramatic 2-1 stoppage-time victory at Swindon.

Manny Monthe’s late winner helped the Saddlers extend their unbeaten run to nine games.

Flynn said: “I don’t care when we score as long as they keep coming, but it is testament to the lads.

“They keep going and keep believing, dig deep, and throw our bodies on the line when we have to and they have got their just rewards.

“It was a deserved result, we had the best chances in the game and we looked threatening and dangerous going forward.

“It is a shame we went behind, but it shows that we have good characters to have come from behind and to get the win.

“Our back three have been outstanding of late at limiting their errors and the boys at the other end are doing the business.

“They are even chipping in with goals – Hayden [White], Donervon [Daniels] and Manny [Monthe], so this is a great start to a very tough period.”

Swindon took the lead as Ronan Darcy found an unmarked Ellis Iandolo in the middle, Owen Evans could only parry his first effort back to him and on the stretch Iandolo diverted the rebound home.

Walsall hit back right before half-time as a corner came back to Tom Knowles and he came inside and had his shot deflected off Remeao Hutton and into the far corner of the net.

The winner came in stoppage time as a corner looked to be dealt with, but dropped to Monthe in front of the keeper and he poked home to seal the three points.

Swindon boss Scott Lindsey said: “I think that we were poor today, I don’t think that we fully committed to the game.

“I didn’t feel as if we played with the swagger that we had last week. We said to the players that it was the same team that went to Barrow, who are fourth in the league with a real swagger and belief.

“And today we didn’t seem to have that spark, we didn’t seem to have that real kind of energy to go on and play.

“We just didn’t play as well as we have done in past games, and it is the first time that I have felt that way, where we have not played at the level I expect.

“We didn’t pass the ball as well as we have, we had players not wanting to get into spaces and get on the ball, and because of that we didn’t create loads of chances again.”

The best videos delivered daily

Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox