Mat Sadler bemoans two key decisions in Walsall's defeat against Barrow
Mat Sadler felt Walsall were denied two "clear penalties" during their 2-1 defeat against Barrow at Bescot.
Elliot Newby opened the scoring for Barrow in the 32nd-minute, before Charlie McCann doubled their advantage just minutes after Lewis Shipley had been sent off for a second booking.
Daniel Kanu halved the deficit 16 minutes from time, but a leveller never arrived, as Aaron Pressley hit the post with a header in stoppage time.
But Sadler was disappointed by the officiating and was particularly frustrated not to have been awarded penalties for challenges on Aden Flint and Courtney Clarke in the first half.
"We should've had a penalty on Aden to start with at 0-0. I see pulling shirts all of the time in the box, but it was literally right in front of him," the Walsall boss complained.
"So I don't know how that isn't given because it was a very easy one for him to give.
"The referee misses another penalty [on Courtney Clarke] which was a very poor decision again.
"These things matter and I thought he had a poor game today."
That defeat was the Saddlers' first in nine games in League Two, although they still sit two points clear at the league summit.
Sadler was critical of the defending for Barrow's first goal, but was complimentary about the performance overall.
"I'm disappointed with the defending for the first goal. I think that's fair to say because we had to prevent that," he added.
"I do actually think it was offside on the flick after I watched it back, but we didn't get that, and we had to defend it better.
"We rallied maybe five minutes worth of the game becoming a bit scrappy, but it was hard to be too displeased with anything that I saw.
"But we peppered the goal and the keeper has held firm."
"I think we threw everything at it throughout, I don't think it was just at the end there.
"We started the game very well. Once the game got into a pattern, we moved it really well, and Courtney and Jamie were finding some good spaces."
Sadler made two changes to his team, as Courtney Clarke made his first home start in the league at the expense of Charlie Lakin.
Lewis Warrington also replaced Brandon Comley in holding midfield, and Jamille Matt and Rico Richards dropped out of the squad due to illness.
"Yes, I thought Courtney has been doing great, and he did great today as well," he explained.
"We've got a very good player on our hands and that was my decision to give him that first home start in the league."
"Both of them are unwell. Jamille and Rico missed Thursday and Friday, and we've had to make sure that doesn't spread."
