Darren Byfield: Late Walsall winner a better feeling than my promotion clincher

Darren Byfield revealed Alex Pattison’s stoppage-time winner in Walsall’s 2-1 victory over Newport had given him a bigger buzz than his promotion decider 25 years ago.

Pattison fired home through a crowd of bodies in the seventh minute of added time to give the Saddlers a first home victory since Boxing Day and interim boss Byfield’s second success in three unbeaten outings.

The former striker, promoted from first-team coach after the sacking of Mat Sadler, was the extra-time hero when Walsall went up to the second tier in 2001 with a 3-2 win over Reading at the Millennium Stadium.

But Byfield admitted that Pattison’s strike hit differently.

“It is funny, when it is you out on the pitch as a player you’re selfish, it is just about you,” said Byfield.

“I had the feeling of everyone today so it was multiplied by 10 – honestly, it was just unbelievable to see it go in and everyone celebrate like that.

“It was a massive goal but definitely deserved. I didn’t realise how far out Pato was, it was a great performance from him even without that. I am so happy for him and the lads.”

It marked a battling comeback after Harrison Biggins had cushioned in Newport’s opener from James Crole’s cross seven minutes before half-time.

Walsall had some rocky moments either side of half-time, Cameron Evans close to nodding in a Tom Davies free-kick six minutes after the break, but the hosts upped the ante from there.

Daniel Kanu levelled after 62 minutes, scooping high into the net from Pattison’s nudge after a Mason Hancock cross.

Aden Flint might have headed in a corner and Pattison’s incessant pressing was almost rewarded with a goal 12 minutes from time, but the midfielder had the last laugh to give the home crowd a much-needed lift.

“We have seven games left and the lads know what the end goal is, the fans know too, we want to get out of the league and we have to keep believing,” added Byfield.

Christian Fuchs wished Newport had backed up their work-rate with “smarter” decisions at the end.

“The boys put in such a big effort, digging deep and putting their bodies on the line,” he said.

“There were moments we had to make better decisions, where we lost the ball too easily or we didn’t make the right decisions with just a few moments to go, just keeping the ball up the field and not necessarily crossing.

“We would have gone away with a point and everyone would have been happy but I think the boys still definitely deserved more than they walked away with.”