Express & Star

Walsall analysis: Jon Whitney rewarded for brave selection

It was a victory Walsall manager Jon Whitney badly needed.

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And it was achieved with a text book away performance that justified what was an incredibly bold team selection from the under-fire boss.

Even Whitney’s staunchest critics can’t deny he is brave and does things his own way.

That was reflected at 2pm on Saturday as the Saddlers unveiled their team to take on Darren Ferguson’s Doncaster.

Sticking with the 4-5-1 formation first used at MK Dons, striker Amadou Bakayoko started on the left of midfield.

Meanwhile, Erhun Oztumer was switched to an unfamiliar role on the opposite flank.

It was a team selection that – had it backfired – would have added fuel to the fire for Whitney’s doubters.

But it worked, largely due to Oztumer and Bakayoko putting in one heck of a shift for their boss.

This was a clash that, for the opening 45 minutes, saw Walsall compete against 11 men and the elements.

The much publicised Storm Brian made playing conditions in Yorkshire horrendous.

And with the swirling winds behind them, it was the home side who started the brighter of the two teams.

Ferguson’s men dominated the early stages. But for all their possession, they didn’t create anything of note until the stroke of half-time. When the chance did arrive though, they really should have took it.

WATCH: Joe Masi and Nathan Judah preview the game

Tommy Rowe thought he had opened the scoring when he danced to the edge of the box before curing a strike against the base of the post. But the ball bounced back to John Marquis who had the entire goal at his mercy for a simple tap-in.

You would have put your mortgage on the striker putting it into the back of net. But he fluffed his lines and scuffed a strike wide to let the Saddlers off the hook.

Walsall emerged for the second half knowing the elements were now in their favour. Yet Rovers gave them an even bigger helping hand when they opened the scoring just past the hour mark.

Joe Wright looked to simply shepherd the ball out for goal kick. But the tenacious Tyler Roberts refused to let him settle with the Albion loanee then sliding in to win the ball.

Now all he had to do was pick out Bakayoko or Oztumer for a tap-in. And he opted for Walsall’s No.10 who jinked past the keeper before firing into the net.

Four minutes later and the Saddlers had doubled their advantage. A brilliant Joe Edwards run saw the midfielder drive to the edge of the box with Roberts offering an option on the right and Oztumer on the left.

And he too opted for Walsall’s Wizard of Oz who slotted in for his seventh of the campaign. It is what happened from this point that will really please Whitney though, with Rovers then doing everything they could to find a route back into the game.

But in their two banks, Walsall’s midfield and defence kept them at bay by working in perfect unison.

There were tireless performances all over the pitch and that meant when substitute Kieron Morris wrapped up the points with the Saddlers third – it was no more than they deserved.

The 23-year-old emphatically fired past Ian Lawlow after Bakayoko had pounced on a mistake by Rodney Kongolo.

And while doubts among supporters towards Whitney are unlikely to go away anytime soon, this performance certainly showed the players are playing for their manager.

Every one worked tirelessly in a bid to ease the pressure on their boss – with the result lifting the Saddlers to within four points of the play-offs – with two thirds of the season still to play.