Smith assesses FA Cup exit...
SADDLERS’ boss, Dean Smith, looks back at our FA Cup exit at the hands of Shrewsbury Town in a game which saw us finish with ten men following the dismissal of skipper, Adam Chambers.
“We certainly weren’t as good as we have been,” he said. “That said, we didn’t deserve to lose but by the same token, we didn’t do enough to win either.
“The lads looked tired; it was a generally scrappy game on a heavy pitch. We were not quite good enough on the ball and whilst we got a reaction at the start of the second half, it wasn’t enough.
“It’s disappointing and frustrating to be out of the FA Cup. The performance levels were not quite there. Maybe it was a game too far for some of them.
“We’ve been on a decent run of form and now it’s time to regroup and get back at it again on Saturday.
“Hopefully Sam [Mantom] will be back at the weekend. He’s still feeling his knee, whilst we are nursing Tom [Bradshaw] back to fitness too.”
The manager confirmed that the club will be appealing Adam Chambers’ red card. “It was never a sending off and we will appeal,” he added. “Adam was a big influence for us and I was gob-smacked by the decision to send him off."