Boss on reverse at Preston North End...
SADDLERS’ boss, Dean Smith, has reflected upon our 2-1 reverse at Preston North End in a game that saw The Saddlers finish with ten men following the controversial dismissal of Sam Mantom.
“Having watched them on Tuesday evening, we decided to tweak the system,” he said. “There were spells when we kept the ball well but goals change games and that was the case here.
“We gifted them an early lead but, credit to the lads, our reaction was excellent as we levelled straight away.
“Sadly our reaction to their second goal wasn’t as good, although, that said, we gave it a real go for the final 30 minutes and put them under pressure.
“The sending off was a strange decision; it was two players going for a ball that was in the air. I felt that Sam actually won the ball and we will certainly consider an appeal.
“Even with ten men we gave it everything but it just wasn’t to be in the end. We can only control our performances and we will make sure that they are right.
“Neither side deserved to lose today but now we look for a response against Coventry on Wednesday. We didn’t get the breaks on this occasion; we will analyse it and be ready to go again.
“We’ll come back stronger. I believe in this set of lads and, more importantly, they believe in themselves.
“It’s about getting back into momentum. We’ve had positive runs before and there is no reason why we can’t start another as the games come thick and fast.”