Walsall boss Lee Grant was in an unsurprisingly buoyant mood following the Saddlers' Carabao Cup triumph over Bristol City on Thursday evening.
Going into the game on the back of a somewhat poo pre-season campaign, the Saddlers were far from favourites as they took on opposition from two tiers above.
However, after withstanding an occasionally overwhelming attack, a goal from Aaron Pressley just two minutes into the second-half saw the Saddlers secure their place in the upcoming Round Two draw.
Meeting the media shortly after full-time, Grant said the match reflected everything the squad had discussed beforehand. He felt the display showed real strength and purpose, and that the players committed fully to the plan they had set out.
He acknowledged the size of the challenge his team were facing, but was pleased with how they handled it, going on to highlight their resilience and togetherness as they battled for ninety minutes and more.
Speaking to Express & Star reporter George Bennett, Lee said: "It had all the hallmarks of everything we talked about before the game.
"That’s incredibly powerful for the group because they set their stool out to do what they ended up doing. We understood the task ahead of us.
"A team that’s two leagues above and you could see the quality on display tonight.
However, after withstanding an occasionally overwhelming attack, a goal from Aaron Pressley just two minutes into the second-half saw the Saddlers secure their place in the upcoming Round Two draw.
Meeting the media shortly after full-time, Grant said the match reflected everything the squad had discussed beforehand. He felt the display showed real strength and purpose, and that the players committed fully to the plan they had set out.
He acknowledged the size of the challenge his team were facing, but was pleased with how they handled it, going on to highlight their resilience and togetherness as they battled for ninety minutes and more.
Speaking to Express & Star reporter George Bennett, Lee said: "It had all the hallmarks of everything we talked about before the game.
"That’s incredibly powerful for the group because they set their stool out to do what they ended up doing. We understood the task ahead of us.
"A team that’s two leagues above and you could see the quality on display tonight.
"They played really well actually, but our group were fantastic with the way they stood up to it, defended and how together they were."
Going on to discuss how his team lined up, the gaffer explained that the change to a 3‑4‑3 wasn’t a dramatic shift because the team’s daily work at the training ground allows them to adapt to different shapes without losing identity.
He stressed that he doesn’t focus on formations, preferring to work on roles and responsibilities, and he felt the players fully embraced those roles against the Robins. That commitment, he said, was the most satisfying part of the night.