Change of system or a bit of extra urgency?

Which was the major factor in Albion’s second-half improvement?

“A bit of both,” was the verdict of new boy Mark Wright, who had a few bright moments as one the Seagulls’ six debutants.

Albion went from 4-1-2-3 to a more conventional looking 4-4-2 when Nicky Forster replaced Matt Thornhill at the break.

Actually make that 4-2-4 at times given the way Wright and Dean Cox operate like out-and-out wingers when their side gets the ball.

But it also became clear a few lively words had been uttered at the break following the hosts’ low tempo first 45 minutes.

Forster himself is a player who can energise team-mates and it all added up to a more encouraging 45 minutes from the new-look hosts.

Wright said: “We wanted all three points and it didn’t go to plan but we played better in the second half and we can gain from that.

“The gaffer changed it because we weren’t getting much joy from one up front. It’s one of those things. It just didn’t happen for us with the one up front but it works other times.”

So why the improvement? Tactics or a ticking off?

“I think it was a bit of both,” Wright said.

“We knew we weren’t moving the ball enough, we weren’t creating enough and we had to pick it up which we did.

“We just couldn’t get a goal.

“We knew Walsall would come at us in the first 20 minutes but when they scored the goal they sat back and it was just a case of breaking them down, which we didn’t do as much as we wanted.”

Pictures in the matchday programme reminded fans Albion are well on their way to following Wright’s previous club MK Dons by moving to a superb new stadium.

But the former Walsall youngster was reasonably impressed with the opening-day experience at the athletics stadium.

He said: “The pitch is very nice, lovely to play on. It was a good atmosphere. The fans got behind us when we tried to push on but it wasn’t to be.”