Keates, who had seen his side struggle for form over recent weeks, admitted that his team had failed to perform as of late and thought that they finally rose to the occasion and produced a solid performance across the board to take a much needed awayday win.
Speaking via the Express & Star, Dean said; "It's been difficult the past few weeks. But I am absolutely over the moon with them. I thought they were outstanding from start to finish. It was a good, professional performance.
"Performance-wise, over the past few weeks, it's not been horrendous. We have been quite close to doing something. We have just not helped ourselves. But I felt every decision we have made defensively was spot on.
"It was a full-team effort, Cookie will get the headlines. But as a team performance, it was perfect for us."
The gaffer then went on to praise striker Andy Cook, who displayed some of the form which earned him a move to Banks's Stadium over the summer as he notched his thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth goals of the season to firmly establish himself as the Saddlers' main goal-scoring threat.
Keates continued; "I have given him a bit of stick because I told him it should be his second hat-trick, he should have got one at Bradford. He scores goals. I knew that when I brought him into the football club.
"He works hard, he puts himself about and he gets in people's faces. He does a job for the team that not many people see. But when he gets opportunities he scores goals.
"And that is why I bought Matty Jarvis into the football club. You saw what he was about with those crosses."