Walsall striker Conor Wilkinson picked up his fifth goal of the season on Saturday, moving “one step closer” to his fifteen goal target.

The 27-year-old slotted home a late penalty for the Saddlers, sending Tranmere goalkeeper Ross Doohan the wrong way, giving his side the victory at the Banks’s Stadium and bringing his personal goal tally to five for the season.

In his last season, the striker picked up a total of fifteen goals for Leyton Orient, previously stating that he hopes to match the tally this season at Walsall.

“It’s one step closer, in the right direction,” said Wilkinson, talking to the Express and Star, “Hopefully, I keep them coming consistently now.”

“It’s been a bit here and there. That’s why I wanted the penalty – because I hadn’t scored in a couple of games.

“For me personally, I wanted to get some confidence back in myself. Obviously, you get that goal, so hopefully I can build on that.”

The striker is now Walsall’s second top scorer for the season, sitting just behind strike partner George Miller, and is on par with prolific midfielder Brendan Kiernan.

Wilkinson was the first summer signing for Walsall, being former manager Matt Taylor’s first arrival since taking over the club in June, with the forward clearly still holding his previous boss in high regard.

"Nobody wanted to see him leave the building," he stated, "It was unfortunate because he was a good guy and a good manager. He worked his socks off for us and was loved by all of us”

"We were just short of getting a win or sticking together, so we owed that to the gaffer, that was the most important thing."

The Verdict

With the former Millwall striker struggling to capitalise in recent games, his late winner against Tranmere will certainly do him a world of good, with Wilkinson himself admitting that he was running low on confidence.

Despite not topping the charts in terms of goals and contributions, the 27-year-old is clearly having a big impact at Walsall, and changes on the managerial front could well be a game changer for Wilkinson and the rest of the side.

If the Saddlers can make the right choice of manager in the coming days, one that ensures that the players can reach their full potential, Wilkinson, among others, could well reach the fifteen goal mark by the end of the season if they continue to perform.