WALSALL boss Mat Sadler refused to be disheartened by the fact his side were unable to clinch a victory at relegation-threatened Colchester United.

The Saddlers had to settle for a point in the 1-1 draw at the JobServe Community Stadium, after Cameron McGeehan's second-half equaliser cancelled out Taylor Allen's first-half strike.

Walsall, who lie a point outside the play-off positions in eight place, had goalkeeper Jackson Smith to thank after he saved Noah Chilvers' penalty.

Sadler said: "I can't be too displeased with my group.

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"They (Colchester) are fighting for their lives and you can see that.

“I think we are a better team than them and I think we showed that.

“I’m really pleased with a lot of who we are; I’m really pleased with a lot of the stuff that we showed.

“We showed desire and determination and we just fell short on getting that shot off today when we had the opportunity to.

“We needed that clinical and ruthless side to go 2-0 up and that’s what I think was missing from us winning the game.

“But I can’t be too dissatisfied with what they’re giving me, because they’re giving me everything – they always do.

Gazette:

“We’re disappointed because we felt we should win the game but we’re not disheartened, because we’ve put ourselves in a position to be fighting at the business end.

“We’ve put ourselves in a position to be attacking the final end eight games with everything to play for and that’s a real positive.”

Centre-back Allen put Walsall ahead at Colchester with a sweet finish, in the first half.

"Taylor (Allen) was incredible, I thought," added Sadler.

"He keeps growing and growing and growing.

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"His shoulders are getting wider and his left foot is getting sweeter.

"I'm so pleased that he's getting the rewards; the work that he puts in to improve himself, which is what we're all about.

"I thought he was really good defensively as well.

"They (Colchester) test you, they certainly do - big John (Akinde) has been around this level for a while.

Gazette:

"I've played with John and he's one of the strongest people I know.

"It was a big test for my young back line and they stood firm to it.

"I actually felt like John impeded the run back for the goal, when he stood offside - maybe with that experience, you might run in the way of it, maybe that's something that you do.

"That ended up being a little bit of a pivotal moment."