Dean Smith: Ref cost Saddlers

Furious Walsall boss Dean Smith today blasted referee Steve Rushton and insisted the official cost the Saddlers precious points.

The manager was angry the Staffordshire whistleblower awarded a free kick for Peter Sweeney to score the winner in Bury's 2-1 victory yesterday.

Andy Butler was ruled to have fouled ex-Saddler Andy Bishop and Sweeney struck from 25-yards, just 83 seconds after Jamie Paterson hauled Walsall level.

Smith revealed Rushton admitted his gaffe at the break but insisted his apology made little difference.

He said: "I spoke to the referee at half-time and he apologised. He said `I'm sorry', but sorry for what, costing me two points? There were some strange decisions.

"It wasn't a free-kick, it's as simple as that, and the result hinges on that decision. We got back into the game with a good free-kick from Jamie Paterson and then the referee gives a free-kick for an innocuous challenge.

"He didn't give another free-kick for an aerial challenge for the rest of the game, so it's inconsistent. That's the disappointing thing, if he gives that then he has to give similar ones in the second half. "Although they were better than us in the first half, I thought we had the better of the second half and deserved to come away with something."

Defeat ended the Saddlers' five game unbeaten run in League One – since they were beaten 4-2 by Bury in November – and left them 19th, a point above the drop zone.

They paid the price for a stuttering first half at Gigg Lane, which saw Mat Sadler put through his own net, and Smith admitted they didn't compete with the Shakers.

He said: "In the first half an hour we never got to grips with them and they passed it around us. We probably paid them too much respect.

"We had a word with them at half time and we were the better team in the second half. We looked like a team and it's disappointing it comes down to a refereeing decision.

"Adam Chambers' chance sparked us, we got the goal and we started to pass the ball with a purpose. We didn't pass it anywhere near as well as we can do in the first half."