Dean Smith urges Walsall to focus for home fortune
Dean Smith has promised Walsall's cup heroics will not prove a distraction as he eyes a return to winning ways at home.
While fans may still be buzzing after the Saddlers moved to within touching distance of Wembley following Wednesday's 2-0 win at Preston in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Northern Area Final first leg, Smith and his players quickly turned their attentions to the visit of Scunthorpe tomorrow.
The squad were straight back into training yesterday, with the manager keen for his side to quickly end a run of two straight defeats in front of their own fans.
And while Wembley might be the word of the moment, Smith has vowed those in the dressing room are focused on the task in hand.
"We won't get distracted," he said. "It comes down the character of the players - the ones we have recruited are good people and know it is just as important now to get ready for Scunthorpe.
"The last two results at home have not been pleasing but the performances have been okay.
"I think we have only lost two out of the last 14 league games or something like that. We need to start climbing the table again.
"It is brilliant we went to Preston and got a result to leave us halfway from Wembley but we know the second leg will be tough and we also know we have got to start climbing the league."
The Saddlers are unbeaten in five league games away from home but have found the going far tougher on their own patch. Last Saturday's 2-0 home reverse to Coventry dropped them to 13th in the table.
Scunthorpe are unbeaten in 10 games under the management of former Walsall forward Mark Robins.
Smith said: "They are a decent squad, a tough team.
"We need to start winning home games, you can't rely on your away results. But against Coventry we had 17 attempts on goal and if it was another game we would have won it comfortably."
