Walsall boss reflects on Burton loss

Walsall boss Dean Smith insisted the Saddlers are moving in the "right direction" despite their second friendly loss after Billy Kee's late winner at Burton, writes Craig Birch.

Smith's men had led courtesy of Will Grigg's sixth minute strike but the League Two hosts levelled before the half-hour through Robbie Weir.

The Saddlers made nine changes and, ultimately, conceded the game to substitute Kee's fine individual goal in the 79^th minute.

That ensured the League One side tasted pre-season defeat for the second time after the previous Saturday's 3-0 defeat at home to Wolves, this time to lower-league opposition.

But boss Smith believes they showed enough, particularly in the first-half, to make the run-out a worthwhile exercise and admitted the number of substitutions probably made all of the difference.

He said: "I thought we controlled the game and the ball for long periods, we just didn't put the ball in the back of the net enough times.

"They were set up in two banks of four, looking to break whenever they could get the ball off us but we created a number of chances in the first-half, but not so many in the second-half.

"We are looking at different options, at the moment, as we have got a lot of new players. We are looking at combinations but there are some really good understandings coming up on the pitch.

"We are pleased with where we are, we always like to win games but, with the number of changes in the second-half, it wasn't to be and their lad scored a really good goal at the end.

"But we are moving in the right direction and the lads are really starting to get what we want."

Walsall had started brightly and scored with the game's first attack, Febian Brandy's free-kick from near to the right byline going through a sea of defenders into the path of Grigg, who rifled home.

Grigg could have made it 2-0 six minutes later, this time meeting Jamie Paterson's cross with a header that Burton goalkeeper Ross Atkins did well to parry past his near post and to safety.

Atkins came to the rescue again in the 19^th minute when Paterson's corner from the right wreaked havoc in the Burton box, with Adam Chambers seeing his shot blocked when the ball ran free.

It duly bobbled along to Saddlers captain Andy Butler, who put his right foot straight through an effort that Atkins palmed away low to his right, the ball running free to the left only to be cleared.

The home side made them pay for not taking their chances with the equaliser in the 29^th minute, a move started by ex-Birmingham striker Dele Adebola, 37, playing as a trialist for the Brewers.

Adebola's low pass into the box from the left was laid off by strike partner Adi Yussuf into the path of goalscoring midfielder Weir, who smashed past goalkeeper Jimmy Walker into the roof of the net.

Rain, thunder and lightning lashed down on a previously-sunny Pirelli Stadium after the hour and appeared to stunt the Saddlers' attacking prowess, as the ball started to stick on the soggy turf.

Florent Cuvelier dragged a shot wide of the far post while Brandy and Ashley Hemmings both blazed over as the visitors failed to turn chances into goals and, again, it cost them.

Former Walsall left-back Chris Palmer fed Kee, on for Adebola at half-time, who danced away from Ben Purkiss and James Chambers before curling a great effort past substitute goalkeeper David Grof and into the far corner.

Burton Albion: Atkins, Corbett (Stanton 46), Diamond (c), Taylor (Garnett 87), Weir, Yussuf, McCrory, Maghoma (C Palmer 54), Holness, Bell (M Palmer 74), Adebola (Kee 46).

Substitutes not used: Lyness, Green.

Walsall: Walker (Grof 63), J Chambers, Taundry (Downing 76), Butler (c, Jones 76), Holden (Featherstone 63), Brandy (Baxendale 63), A Chambers (Purkiss 46), Cuvelier, Grigg (Benning 76), Paterson (Bowerman 63), Hemmings (Williams 76)

Substitutes not used: George, Morris.

Referee: Steve Rushton

Attendance: 883