Freddie Draper: Walsall's on-loan Lincoln striker on forward roll with Saddlers

Freddie Draper has now performed his celebratory forward roll six times in Walsall's past four games

Teenage Walsall striker Freddie Draper reckons he is really on a forward roll with the Saddlers after scoring his first senior hat-trick.

The 19-year-old on-loan Lincoln City player equalised three times to earn a point in Friday's 3-3 draw against Newport County at Rodney Parade.

That meant the added physical test of three times performing his trademark forward roll goal celebration.

"I've done it since my youth days at Lincoln," he told BBC Radio WM.

"I get a bit of stick for it, but I hope to do it again a few more times this season."

His eight goals in 12 games have lifted him to within two strikes of the League Two top scorer, Newport's Will Evans.

Draper's eight goals for Walsall have followed his eight on loan at League of Ireland side Drogheda in the summer

Draper said he even had to run off a dead leg to see the game out to its dramatic conclusion, when he netted the final equaliser six minutes into added time.

"My leg went numb," he said. "But I wanted the chance to stay on and get the hat-trick. We were playing well and deserved it. The lads have shown that we have got character to come back three times.

"We're just disappointed to have conceded three and I hold my hand up for one of them.

"A lot of teams are underestimating us but we know we can challenge."

As to how strongly the Saddlers will challenge if they were to lose Draper, that is another matter.

Lincoln sacked manager Mark Kennedy this week - and, although Draper is a on a season-long loan from the Imps, it does opens the door to a possible return.

He has made 12 first-team appearances for Lincoln since making his debut as a 17-year-old in October 2021. And he spent this summer on loan with League of Ireland side Drogheda, in whom Walsall's owners Trivela have just invested, scoring eight times in 21 games.

"We've got a great relationship with Lincoln," said Saddlers boss Mat Sadler. "We hope to see Freddie for as long as we can in a Walsall shirt.

"Whisper it, because he's doing some fantastic things. But he's got bags of ability. I'm really pleased for him. It was a special night for him - his first career hat-trick."

As for whether the growing interest suits Draper himself, he says simply: "I don't really listen to it.

"All I do is try to stay humble and stay fit. Things change fast in football.

"I just want to keep my head down and control what I can do."

Oh what a 24 hours... late December 1953

Coming off the back of midfielder Isaac Hutchinson also netting a hat-trick in last weekend's 4-1 win over Hartlepool, Draper's own treble was also the first time two different Saddlers players had scored a hat-trick in successive games since 1953.

Eddie Holding got all three goals in a 3-1 Christmas Day home win over Brighton at Fellows Park.

And, when then the two sides met again at Brighton's Goldstone Ground on Boxing Day, just 24 hours later, as was customary in that era, Freddie Morris also scored all three Saddlers goals in a 5-3 defeat.

Freddie Draper was talking to BBC Radio WM's Steve Hermon