Dean Smith slams the slow start from Walsall

Walsall were lucky to only be one down after a poor first 15 minutes, Jim O'Brien's 30-yard rocket putting Coventry in front after Saddlers goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell had saved Marcus Tudgay's penalty.

The Saddlers improved after the interval as both Anthony Forde and Michael Cain hit the woodwork but Tudgay's late header sealed victory for Coventry and left Smith ruing that shocking start.

He said: "I was angry with the first ten minutes, with how we started the game. We gave them a big lift.

"We should then have scored when we had our chances at the start of the second half. We came out second half and that's how we can play but we ended up chasing the game.

"We started the second half really well and that's what we're about. But we can't start games like we did for the first ten minutes because it gave them a lift.

"They had the penalty and it was a super goal but we didn't start the game well at all for the first ten or 15 minutes.

"It's very disappointing because we're aiming for consistency. After the first 10 minutes, our performance was ok but you end up having to chase the game.

"Very rarely we end up going 4-3-1-2 in the last ten minutes to try to chase the game but that's what we had to do because we needed to get a goal.

"And then we got sloppy at the end and they score from a set-piece.

"We should have been in the game by then with the chances we've had. We've hit the post twice, Tom's hit one just wide, Michael Cain's been wide a couple of times.

"We're about what you saw in the second half. The first ten minutes is very unlike us and the players were told that at half-time."