Walsall goalkeeper Jed Ward is earning glowing reviews from his manager and team-mates following a run of standout displays that have kept the Saddlers as the only remaining unbeaten club in the EFL. The 23-year-old, who arrived from hometown side Bristol Rovers for an undisclosed fee in the summer, caught the eye during Tuesday's 3-0 League Two win over Oldham Athletic. Besides securing his eighth clean sheet in 13 appearances across all competitions, the shot-stopper produced an audacious 50-yard low through-ball to assist Tai Sodje's opening strike, drawing high praise from Walsall top-scorer Aaron Pressley.
Statistically, Ward has been one of the division's leading performers between the posts. He tops League Two with an 86% save success rate, keeping out 43 of the 50 shots on target he has faced—an average of nearly four saves per fixture. Only Swindon's Connor Ripley (58) has registered more stops, while Exeter's Jack Bycroft (seven) is the lone keeper with more League Two clean sheets than Ward's six. The young keeper spent much of the past two seasons out on loan in the National League with Forest Green and Yeovil, where he was an ever-present last campaign, alongside making 18 League One appearances for Bristol Rovers in 2024-25.
Ward's influence against Oldham went far beyond his attacking contribution, as he produced critical saves at both 0-0 and 1-0 before Walsall had to navigate the final half-hour with 10 men following Elicha Ahui's red card. Walsall head coach Lee Grant, a former goalkeeper for Sheffield Wednesday, Burnley, and Derby, praised the youngster on BBC Radio WM, highlighting his execution and well-thought-out distribution. Pressley, who netted twice after Sodje's opener to surpass his goal tally from last term with eight in all competitions, labeled Ward's assist as "different level" and hailed it as "Premier League stuff."
Walsall's victory leaves them fourth in League Two after 11 matches, with a record of four wins and seven draws maintaining their unique status as the EFL's last undefeated side. The Saddlers previously led the fourth tier at Christmas in each of the past two seasons before falling away from the promotion picture, but Grant and Pressley believe their current squad depth provides a stronger foundation. Grant, who has never named an unchanged line-up this campaign, made four changes on Tuesday, and the squad's resolve will face another major test in their next fixture when they host league leaders Salford on Monday.