THE SADDLERS' youth team went out of the Midland Youth Cup at the semi-final stage on Monday evening with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Grimsby Town.

"It was a big opportunity for the lads to impress on the Banks's Stadium pitch," said Head of Youth, Dean Smith. "I was really pleased with the application that we displayed throughout the game; we dominated for long periods and it showed that the boys are capable of handling the big occasion.

"I felt that we tried to play some decent stuff on a difficult surface. We created numerous chances in the first half but failed to be as clinical as we needed to be.

"Our visitors came into it more in the second half as the game became increasingly scrappy, and they went on to grab a late winner with just six minutes left on the clock.

"In the end it was a disappointing result for the effort that we put in. I couldn't argue with the performance, it's just that we missed too many chances."

WALSALL: Cooney, Wood, Hickman, Partridge, Keenan, Jones, McCourt, Geddes, Paterson, Bowerman (Deards), Overfield (Mellors-Blair).

PHOTOS: Express & Star