"Understatement" - Exclusive: Don Goodman makes claim on what he saw in Walsall's play-off clash with Chesterfield | OneFootball

The Saddlers have a 2-0 advantage going into the second leg of the semi-finals.

It'd be putting it lightly to say that Walsall's 2-0 victory over Chesterfield in the first-leg of their play-off semi-final clash was needed, according to Don Goodman.

Form is often irrelevant when you get to the post-season. The teams involved have three cup finals ahead of them. Get through them and you'll have achieved the dream that you've thought about all season.

While promotion wasn't the expectation of many Walsall fans at the start of the season, come January that was the minimum they were expecting. At their best, they held a 12-point lead over second place, but between the end of January and the end of the season, Mat Sadler's Saddlers only won three matches, one of which was on the final day against Crewe Alexandra.

Don Goodman impressed by Walsall's away win over Chesterfield

Having dropped out of the top three and into the play-offs, Walsall had to put up a fight in their first game against an in-form Chesterfield side, away from home, and that's exactly what they did. Goals from Taylor Allen and Alfie Change guided them to a 2-0 advantage that they will take home with them to the Poundland Bescot Stadium.

It was a huge result for the club and, for Sky Sports pundit Goodman, it makes them the favourites to face either AFC Wimbledon or Notts County at Wembley later this month for the chance to play in League One next season.

"To say it was a huge win and a huge performance from Walsall away at Chesterfield would be an understatement," the former EFL forward exclusively told Football League World. "It puts them in a very strong position and it's even more impressive because Chesterfield's home record in the regular season, they literally lost three games out of the 23 all season long.

"For Walsall to do that was massive. It obviously backed up their away win against Crewe Alexandra on the final day of the season. What they're going to have to do now is preferably try to win a home game, and that's something that hasn't happened in their last six home games, albeit they've lost four and drawn two, and a draw will suffice.

"There might be nerves, particularly if Chesterfield can put them under any kind of pressure. Can they get over the line? They've certainly put themselves in pole position."

Walsall can't rely on Chesterfield mistakes in the second leg

Paul Cook's side had a number of good opportunities to get themselves on the board in Sunday's contest but were prevented from scoring largely because of Tommy Simkin in the Walsall net. The Saddlers cannot afford to be so reliant on their goalkeeper, or Chesterfield missing chances, in the second leg.

They scored 73 goals across the 2024/25 League Two campaign and evidently have enough quality to exploit any openings that the Saddlers leave them. Two-score games are very dangerous ones for the side with the lead. Sadler must get his players firing from the off at home, something they have struggled to do for the second half of the season.