Saddlers must move on after Bradford slip-up

Pete Wild (left) may be dreaming of the same scoreline Fleetwood enjoyed against Mat Sadler's Walsall side at Bescot Stadium on 1 October

Walsall boss Mat Sadler says the League Two pacesetters must move on quickly after Saturday's untimely slip-up against Bradford City.

The Saddlers' club record of nine league wins on the trot came to an end as they were well beaten 3-0 by Bradford City at Valley Parade.

It was their first defeat since losing 6-2 at home to Charlie Adam's Fleetwood at Bescot Stadium on 1 October, after which Sadler's side put together a 16-match unbeaten league run.

Adam has since left, but they now again face Fleetwood, under the management of Pete Wild, at Highbury Stadium on Tuesday night.

With their 12-point lead still intact thanks to second-placed Crewe Alexandra's home defeat by Accrington Stanley, Sadler is looking for normal service to resumed.

"It can happen to any given team on any given day," Sadler told BBC Radio WM.

"We know who we are. And I love the journey we're all on together.

"There's no storylines to be said on anything. You just have to keep driving forwards, as we always try to.

"Whatever happens wins, lose or draw, it's gone and you move on to the next game.

"The season is relentless. You just have to keep going and keep showing that same sense of trust in each other."

With a round 20 games to go now, Walsall have still lost just four times in 26 games ths season - and remain odds-on favourites to win the League Two title.

By contrast, Fleetwood have had an up and down season - and have won just four of their last 15 in the league - although they have managed three victories in six games since Wild's Christmas Eve arrival.

All Sadler can hope is that his side improve on Saturday's performance, when they simply got outmuscled in West Yorkshire.

"Bradford City are a big, strong team and they showed a lot of that," he added. "They probably did to us what we've done to a lot of teams.

"They got the better of us and took their chances when they came. We kept trying to get ourselves back into the game. But when the moments came, we didn't quite take them. It's another one to learn from."

New signing Ethan Wheatley, the Saddlers' replacement for EFL top scorer Nathan Lowe, did not put in an appearance until the 63rd minute on Saturday, by which time Walsall were 3-0 down and the game was gone.

But Sadler does have the option of bringing in the teenage Manchester United striker for his first EFL start.