Express & Star

Saddlers' Smith seeking quick response

Walsall boss Dean Smith wants his men to make the most of an immediate chance to get over their Christmas defensive hangover.

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The Saddlers back-line endured a rare off day, conceding three times in 12 second-half minutes as high-flying Swindon Town romped to a 4-1 Boxing Day victory at a snowy Banks's Stadium yesterday.

Walsall travel to second-placed Milton Keynes Dons tomorrow but Smith is grateful for an opportunity to make amends quickly.

He said: "The performance against Swindon was better than that result but we've got another game on Sunday to try to make up for the outcome.

"It's good that the next game is only 48 hours later because it gives us a chance to get it out of our system.

"We were really disappointed with the result and the10-minute spell where they have scored three goals, but there were a lot of positives throughout the team.

"We were the better team in the first half and out-passed a really good team. We had chances to take the lead in the first half and didn't take them.

"Then we had a mad spell in the second half where they scored from three counter-attacks when we turned the ball over.

"I was disappointed because we didn't deserve a 4-1 defeat – they took their goals really well but we certainly had a helping hand in their goals.

"Defensively we are better than that. They were poor goals for us to concede."

Smith felt the Swindon game should have been abandoned due to persistent and heavy snow in the second half – but conceded the score made it tough for referee David Webb to make such a call.

He added: "I thought the game should have been abandoned – it was farcical in the end.

"If it was 1-1 he would have probably called the game off but as it was 4-1 he didn't."

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