Hutchings fumes after penalty call

Walsall manager Chris Hutchings was left pointing the finger at referee Graham Horwood after the Saddlers were denied a cast iron penalty in defeat against Brighton.

Trailing 2-1, Darren Byfield fell under Adam Virgo's challenge just before half-time but official Horwood waved away appeals on Saturday.

Goals from Glenn Murray and Nicky Forster had already put Brighton in charge, even if Matt Richards' 26th minute equaliser had offered brief respite.

Hutchings reckons the official got it wrong, after the Saddlers stretched their winless streak to four.

He said: "We should have had a penalty in the first half, it was disappointing it wasn't given. I couldn't really see why it wasn't because the boy has tackled from behind and caught Darren's heel.

"Games are decided on decisions like that. We're disappointed it hasn't gone for us. I think it goes without saying Darren would rather stick it in than have a penalty to put in, it happens and it's gone against us.

"We have to take it on the chin."

It was the Saddlers' first game for a month, after five successive postponements, due to the big freeze and they looked rusty in the early stages.

Murray opened the scoring on eight minutes and, after Richards' equaliser, Forster deservedly netted the winner seven minutes before the break.

It took until the second half for Hutchings' men to get going and the manager admitted conceding early left them chasing the game.

He said: "For the first 20 minutes, it looked like we needed a game and both sets of players did very well on a very difficult pitch. When you go a goal behind, especially at home, you are always chasing. But, in the second-half, we were a little bit sharper and a little bit brighter.

"We put them under more pressure, picked up some second balls and were on the front foot a little bit more. Our midfield picked it up, I put Josh O'Keefe on to play behind the three strikers and get forward.

"But sometimes you have to give the opposition a bit of credit."

Rhys Weston failed to shake off a sore calf, which meant Darryl Westlake returned to the starting XI for the first time since September and the boss was pleased with how the 18-year-old performed.

He said: "Rhys hadn't trained for eight or nine days before the game and cramped up on the artificial surface. I wasn't willing to risk him and that's why 'Westy' played, he stuck to his guns and did himself credit."

On the opposite side, Brighton manager Gus Poyet hailed matchwinners Forster and Murray after his side moved three points clear of the relegation zone and extended their unbeaten run to four games.

He said: "It's a big difference in any division when you have strikers who are scoring goals every week. They give me a decision where it is very difficult for the other strikers to play.

"They are on fire but the most important thing is winning games, it doesn't matter how we score or which two I pick."