Source: PA
Smith can't fault his players
Walsall manager Dean Smith was impressed by his side's performance and felt they deserved a point following their 2-1 defeat at Exeter.
Richard Duffy finished with aplomb to give the Grecians a seventh-minute lead and Daniel Nardiello worked a clever free-kick with David Noble to fire inside the post in the 77th minute.
Nardiello saw his 80th-minute penalty saved by Walsall goalkeeper Jimmy Walker after John O'Flynn had been fouled in the box by Aaron Lescott and Walsall pulled a goal back five minutes from time when Julian Gray scrambled home a late consolation.
Smith said: "It was a good performance, but unfortunately it was no points again. The pleasing aspect was that we played pleasing football, terrific football at times, but if you don't take your chances when you are on top, you get punished.
"Their two goals, I put down to bad defending. We opened up passing lanes which allowed them to get in behind us, but I thought we were the better team and we should have come away with at least a point, if not all three."
Smith said his players continued to work hard, but need to start picking up points. The lads have shown that they have a good work ethic and spirit and I encourage them to play good football."
