George Bennett gives his take on Walsall's 2-2 draw against Cheltenham.
The Saddlers went in front after just seconds through Ellis Harrison - and when Albert Adomah doubled the lead late on it looked as though they were heading for another victory.
But the League Two leaders collapsed and conceded twice in stoppage time to throw away two points.
The Saddlers went in front after just seconds through Ellis Harrison - and when Albert Adomah doubled the lead late on it looked as though they were heading for another victory.
But the League Two leaders collapsed and conceded twice in stoppage time to throw away two points.
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SportsTranscript
00:00Good evening Sadler's fans. I'm delighted to be joined by Cheltenham Town correspondent, John Palmer,
00:07where Walsall look destined to be heading for another three points until a late comeback from Cheltenham Town.
00:18So firstly, John, give me your thoughts on that one.
00:20Well, I think Michael Flynn sums it up quite well when he said that if that happens to your team, it feels like a win.
00:25Even though they only got a point, it feels like a win. And for Walsall, it'll probably feel like a defeat.
00:29It was a cracking end to the game for the Cheltenham fans and the fans did stick with the team even at 2-0 down.
00:34I thought it was a cracking atmosphere because the Walsall fans made a lot of noise all the way through, over a thousand of them.
00:40But Cheltenham fans will go home thinking we've got a point against the leaders.
00:44We can give anyone a game and they'll think that they've got a chance of sneaking into the playoffs.
00:49Yeah, well, I mean, you know, you look at that home form.
00:53That was something we were speaking about before the game that, you know,
00:56although Walsall were in the position they are at the top of the table, it was always going to be a difficult evening for Walsall.
01:03But, you know, you kind of look across what was really 89 minutes where, although Cheltenham had moments, really it felt like Walsall were in control.
01:14And after that mistake from Sam Stubbs, which Adoma capitalised on and finished off,
01:23it did really feel like the game was out for Cheltenham.
01:26So I guess really to show that spirit to come back, it would be disappointing in the manner in which Walsall conceded the goals.
01:32But to show that spirit to come back is a positive from your side.
01:36Yeah, I thought Walsall looked really good.
01:38I was really impressed with probably seven or eight really good performances.
01:42They will probably come off wondering how they haven't won the game.
01:45But what Michael Flynn has done is Cheltenham never give up, especially here.
01:49They've won the previous four in a row here.
01:52Perfect record here in 2025 in all competitions.
01:55So I knew it was going to be tight tonight, even though Walsall could have won 11 points clear at one point.
02:00They were 11 points clear. And then I think they lose down to seven now.
02:03But two wins for Walsall followed by this point, even though they'll go home disappointed not to have won it.
02:09It's not a bad run of results just to steady the ship.
02:12And Michael Flynn certainly backed them for promotion, said he wants them to go on automatic promotion now, which is quite nice.
02:18He got a bit sticky from the travelling fans during the game, but I think he took it in good spirits.
02:22And he speaks very fondly of his time there.
02:24So he has said several times that he thinks they're well and he wants them to.
02:29But, you know, what he's done at Cheltenham has been good.
02:31And if they can even keep it interesting to the players to the end of the season, he's done a brilliant job.
02:36And, you know, from a kind of Walsall standpoint, it was the perfect start for them really inside the opening 60 seconds.
02:45Ellis Harrison getting on the score sheet.
02:47And, you know, one thing that Walsall has been a particular threat from a set piece is Jamie Jellis' long throw.
02:51Oshin McKenzie with the flicked header, which was then clawed into the goal mouth by Joe Day.
02:59And, you know, great predatory instincts from Harrison himself to get on the score sheet.
03:05So how did you see Cheltenham's response to that?
03:08Because it was kind of a rip-roaring start.
03:09And it felt for sort of the first 10 to 15 minutes, it was hard to sort of contain Walsall.
03:15Yeah, I think Flynn would be disappointed with the ease of the flick up the back header.
03:19And then Joe Day could only just sort of claw it straight out to Harrison.
03:22He's already scored against Cheltenham this season for MK Dons.
03:24And I know he's got a couple already now for Walsall.
03:26But I actually think Cheltenham did quite well to sort of knock a collapse a bit.
03:31And I know Walsall had a little bit of pressure, but I don't remember Joe Day making too many saves at that point.
03:37Or throughout the game in general, really, for all Walsall's good play.
03:40I didn't think he was pulling off heroics in goal because Cheltenham defended well.
03:44I thought Stubbs was really good, apart from the mistake for the Adoma goal.
03:48But, yeah, the response was, you know, because the game plan probably goes out the window.
03:52It's easy to throw out that window when you concede after 48 seconds, I think it was.
03:56But they stuck to what they set out to do.
03:59I don't think they ripped it up because it was a bit of a freak to concede after 48 seconds.
04:05But when you go 2-0 down in the 79th minute, that's when they could have easily just thrown the towel in.
04:11But the substitutions that Flynn sent on, obviously Miller scored one, set the second one up.
04:17And Thomas, who also went on, scored the equaliser.
04:20And a couple of the other lads who went on, I thought did well.
04:22So he's got a decent bench now, Flynn, as well, which obviously made an impact tonight.
04:26But Walsall did look a cut above at times.
04:30But I thought Cheltenham dug in and sort of really worked hard to contain them.
04:34They don't give teams much space.
04:37But Jellis, who you mentioned for the throw-in, I thought he was excellent at times tonight.
04:41And there were some other really good performances.
04:43So even though Walsall will go home disappointed, it might feel like a defeat.
04:47I still think they look like a team ready to step up to League One.
04:51Well, hopefully that's the case.
04:52You know, a strong position at the minute, still seven points clear at the top.
04:55Swindon, next on Saturday.
04:58That's all from us here.
04:59Thank you very much.