Darrell Clarke: Penalty misses are costing Walsall dear
Walsall manager Darrell Clarke admits penalty misses have cost his team dearly this season as another wayward spot kick resulted in a home loss to Scunthorpe United.
With the game locked at 1-1 and the Saddlers in the ascendency having just equalised, Elijah Adebayo was fouled on the hour mark by Jordan Clarke.
Josh Gordon stepped up but goalkeeper Mark Howard went the right way to his left and saved it.
Having crashed out of cup competitions on penalties this season, and now missing four in League Two, Clarke insists penalty misses have cost his team.
“They practice them every day,” he said.
“Josh is forever on it. Eli is forever on it. (Caolan) Lavery is forever on it and practicing penalties.
“It’s not something that we don’t do. The lads do it.
“Josh has scored the last couple he’s had. Josh takes it and the ‘keeper saves it.
“The lads have to keep working on it. It’s cost us a few points.
“It’s the difference of a manager sometimes getting the chop isn’t it.
“It’s six or nine points chucked away, that’s the way it is for a football manager.
“A player can miss a shot from 12 yards and you’re a rubbish manager, it’s a strange old world.
When asked if the penalty was the turning point, Clarke added: “Yeah obviously but Josh Gordon epitomises what the club is about, so I’m not going to criticise Josh.
“The ‘keeper has saved it and he (Gordon) will stand up and front up.”
The Saddlers were on a four-game winning run until Boxing Day when they lost 2-0 away to Salford City.
This result is their second loss in a row and Clarke has been left frustrated with his side’s inconsistency.
“We get ourselves into a challenging position in the league and we’re so frustrating,” Clarke added.
“I think we can beat any team on our day but I think we can lose to any team sometimes, but still dominate large parts of the games.
“It’s a somber changing room. It’s a somber staff. We think we chucked the points down the pan again and we have to regroup and go again on Saturday.”
George Nurse, who made his return from injury after two months out, added: “It was frustrating. We want to come away with three points.
“I think the first half killed us going a goal behind and left us with a mountain to climb.
“We need to put it behind us now and move on to Saturday’s game.”
