Keeper Roberts stars for Saddlers

BOTH bosses were left raving about rookie Walsall keeper Liam Roberts after he eased the Saddlers clear of trouble and hit Oxford’s play-off hopes.

Roberts made a string of fine saves, including two sensational stops from Wes Thomas and James Henry, to frustrate the U’s.

And his display eased the pressure on underfire Walsall boss Jon Whitney, who beamed: “Robbo pulled off some world class saves.

“It seems like an exaggeration when you say world class but I think they are, especially the tip-over from Henry in the second half which was outstanding.

“Oxford put us under pressure late on. But I thought we dug in at the end with some resolute defending and saw out the game.

“The effort of our young players, and the desire and determination made me proud. It’s important we build on this now.”

Roberts’ heroics began on 12 minutes as he tipped over a Jon Obika header, then midway through the half he saved well low down from Henry, who Jack Payne had found free ten yards out.

The pick of his firsthalf saves, though, was a stunning one-handed reflex save from Thomas’ bullet nearpost header on 27 minutes.

Walsall, by contrast, took their only real first-half chance, Amadou Bakayoko bundling home Luke Leahy’s 33rd-minute cross after a clever Erhun Oztumer quick free-kick.

Top scorer Oztumer made it 2-0 three minutes into the second half, latching on to Leahy’s long ball and seeing off defender John Mousinho before chipping keeper Simon Eastwood from 12 yards.

Eastwood tipped over from Joe Edwards’ 18yarder soon after but Oxford were back in it on 70 minutes as Alex Mowatt curled home a classy free-kick.

United should have rescued a point but Roberts foiled Obika and then made the best stop of the lot, a flying onehander to keep Henry’s 25-yard rocket out of the top coner.

Agon Mehmeti steered Oxford’s last chance into the side netting as U’s boss Pep Clotet groaned: “We created a lot of chances and we did enough not only to draw but to get a win. Walsall had two chances and they scored both so I congratulate them on being so clinical but despite not getting the points I prefer the performance of my team.

“There was a reason why their keeper was named man of the match and that was because he made some excellent saves.”