New Walsall goalkeeper Jed Ward is producing "Premier League" contributions with both his hands and feet, according to his dazzled manager and team-mates. The 23-year-old has kept eight clean sheets in 13 games in all competitions, making a string of superb saves since joining the Saddlers from hometown club Bristol Rovers for an undisclosed fee in the summer.
He added another string to his bow with an outrageous assist in Tuesday's 3-0 League Two win over Oldham Athletic, pinging a pin-point 50-yard low through-ball for Tai Sodje to score the Saddlers' opener. "The pass from Jed is different level," said impressed Walsall top-scorer Aaron Pressley. "It was Premier League stuff, that."
Ward leads League Two in percentage of shots saved at 86%, with 43 stops from 50 efforts on target faced, almost four saves a game on average. He has spent much of the past two seasons on loan at National League clubs Yeovil and Forest Green, but made 18 League One appearances for Bristol Rovers in 2024-25.
Boss Lee Grant, himself a former goalkeeper for Sheffield Wednesday, Burnley and Derby, said Ward is performing at a very high level. Walsall are the only unbeaten team remaining in the EFL after 11 games, although a surplus of draws compared to wins, seven to four, means they sit fourth. Pressley, who has already scored eight goals this season, pointed to the squad's depth as a reason for hope they can last the course this time. Walsall host leaders Salford on Monday.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing