Mat Sadler only interested in winning promotion as Walsall set new club record

Walsall boss Mat Sadler says his Sky Bet League Two runaway leaders are far more interested in promotion than the record books after they thrashed Tranmere 5-1 to earn their place in club history.

The victory was a club-record eighth successive league win as Jamille Matt’s brace, plus goals from Ryan Stirk, Jamie Jellis and Nathan Lowe, moved the Saddlers 13 points clear at the top.

“That’s not the record I want – there’s only one that we all want, and we know that,” said Sadler.

“These things are great, they’re brilliant and they are part of the journey but there’s only one thing we are all desperate for and there’s still a lot of work to be done for that.

“We’re in the middle of a job – not too many plasterers celebrate putting the first coat on. There’s a lot of work to be done.

“We’ve got to keep finding different ways of winning games – it was freezing cold today and these are the hard winter months which are really tough periods to get through.

“But we were ruthless today and it was a really pleasing performance.”

Matt’s early header and Stirk’s fine 20-yard strike put Walsall in control but Tranmere rallied through Connor Jennings despite going down to 10 men after two quick cautions for Sam Finley.

Close-range finishes from Matt and Lowe, either side of a Jamie Jellis strike, ensured the second half was a stroll for the Saddlers.

Lowe’s goal was the League Two top scorer’s 15th of the season and rumours persist parent club Stoke could recall him, either for themselves or to loan him out in League One.

“Time will tell,” said Sadler. “But we have a brilliant relationship with Stoke, the lines of communication are outstanding between the two clubs and we’ll keep moving forward together.”

Tranmere, meanwhile, remain just four points above the drop zone after a sixth straight away defeat.

“We got off to a poor start with their first goal,” admitted under-pressure boss Nigel Adkins. “We knew the threat of Matt and talked about it all week, the centre-halves have got to do better with it.

“We gave ourselves an uphill task and even more so when Sam got sent off. Then we’ve actually passed the ball better when we were down to 10 men.

“At 2-1 we’re in it but the goal we gave away straight after half-time, you have to defend better than that.

“I won’t shy away from anything but I’ve got to keep the belief going because if I don’t, no one will and everyone will become down about it. We have to keep going. We can’t pack in.

“The intent is to go and win the next game, that’s what we’ve got to focus on.”