Dean Keates was left disappointed with his side’s decision making after the Saddlers spurned a two-goal lead against ten-man Sunderland.
“That’s what’s cost us," said Keates. "Decision making in football is massive. The best players make the right decisions.
"We were a little bit naïve and that’s where our lack of experience in the squad cost us again. We need to do better in those areas.
“It’s hard at the minute with all the emotions. We’re massively disappointed given the situation we were in; 2-0 up against 10 men.”
The Saddlers boss was frustrated with Andy Cook’s disallowed header, ruled out for offside, and skipper George Dobson failing to convert in the face of an open goal.
“Cooky’s touched it but he’s a yard onside. Josh Gordon’s a yard-and-a-half onside but by the time the ball hit the back of the net, because they’ve both closed in, it looks like they’re both offside. You can’t really do much about it.
“He’s [Dobson] hit the post. Another chance we didn’t take but we have scored a perfectly good goal, for whatever reason it was given offside but we’ll hold ourselves accountable for being 2-0 up.
“Long periods we played well and should’ve been more clinical. We created opportunities and didn’t go and get that third or fourth goal that we could’ve in the second half. You look at their goals and we’ve got bodies around it. It’s too easy. We have to learn from it.”
However, he praised both strikes, including Josh Gordon’s first league goal.
“He works tirelessly. That goal will do him a world of good and hopefully he can add to it over the next few games. It’s a good finish.
“There was some great link up play. We got Devlin on the outside, a full-back, and a great cut-back and Josh [Ginnelly] got across at the near post. A great team goal and the second goal is a bit of individual brilliance.”