Michael Flynn: Walsall didn't deserve to lose

George Lapslie put the Stags in front after 15 minutes - before Liam Bennett's rocket levelled things up at the break.

Then despite having pressure during second half spells - they conceded a soft winner.

Hayden White failed to stop a cross on the right and Will Swan found space and headed home past Owen Evans.

It prevented Walsall from extending a winning run to three games - but Flynn thought his charges were the better side and deserved at least a point.

"We've been made to pay," admitted Flynn.

"I think we deserved a draw all day long, we were far the better side in the first half but have conceded two poor goals.

"We didn't stop the crosses and basically given them too much time to finish in the box.

"They are things people need to look at and take some responsibility because they are soft goals, we shouldn't have lost.

"I felt we were far the better side.

"The ref gave them everything today, we couldn't get much momentum, even the fourth official said how inconsistent the ref was.

"But we've lost and it wasn't the refs fault we have lost, it was our own for not stopping crosses and not marking in the box."

Flynn's men have had rotten luck with injuries so far - and were without Donervon Daniels through illness at Field Mill.

And to compound their injury misery Tom Knowles went off with a knock midway through the second period.

Flynn added: "Tom came off and it disrupted us. Donervon was missing with illness, so we are waiting for our luck to change, we haven't had any, well, we have but it has all been bad.

"Tom's looked worrying to be honest, but he was moving okay just then.

"I'm not going to say anything because the last time I did I said Conor (Wilkinson) just had a kick, and he'd done his cruciate, so I don't know."