The manager, who watched as his side dominated much of the first-half - winning ten corners, insisted that the team is still a work in progress but is already showing plenty of positive signs as he now begins to look ahead to next weekend's League One clash with heavily-fancies promotion chasers, Sunderland.
Keates, Speaking via the club's official website - Saddlers.co.uk - Dean said; "We chipped away and kept going but we’re pleased we kept a clean sheet. It’s massive for us. We’ve conceded a lot of sloppy goals. Other than Wallace’s volley in the second half, everything was easy saves for Robbo and he smothered that really well.
"He’s a young man but by his standards last week, the second goal for Coventry, he held his hands up and said he should have saved it. We had two free headers; Russ should have done better and Jon Guthrie should have done better. Second half, they stepped up a little bit but we still created opportunities in the second half as well.
"On another day maybe we could’ve had three points and the possibility of a penalty near the end of the game. I’ve seen it back and there’s been less given against us this season. Performance wise, it’s a lot better than it has been over the past few weeks.
"Fairly dominant in the first half and we went in at half-time having had 10 corners, and added to that in the second-half. It’s a young squad up until Russ was added and he’s made a difference already – you can see that in the changing room.
"They’ll keep growing but there’s going to be ups and downs over the course of the season. A lot of young lads from Premier League and Championship teams, and also non-league. It’s a work in progress."