Kevan Hurst dedicates goal to baby

Kevan Hurst today dedicated his first Walsall goal to new daughter Lola but insisted the Saddlers should have beaten Sheffield United.

The winger and fiancee Katie Brewster became parents on Sunday and he marked the birth with a goal last night in the Saddlers' heartbreaking 3-2 defeat at Bramall Lane.

Hurst, a former United trainee, fired Walsall ahead but they collapsed from 2-0 up to lose after the Blades scored three times in 15 second-half minutes.

But, despite the result, the proud 25-year-old declared his goal was a tribute to his new daughter.

He said: "I had a little baby girl on Sunday, Katie and the baby are still in hospital on antibiotics after a few little problems but they are both good.

"I haven't had much sleep but she was supposed to be induced yesterday, so maybe I would have missed the game. Thankfully, she did me a favour and came a little bit earlier.

"She's amazing and I can't really believe it yet. The goal was for her – and the fans obviously.

"I'm just over the moon with my baby and the goal, not so much the end result though."

Will Grigg put Walsall 2-0 up on 51 minutes before Matthew Lowton, Lee Wiliamson and Richard Cresswell – from the spot – completed United's comeback.

And summer signing Hurst believes the Saddlers must learn from the defeat and should have held on.

He said: "Sometimes in football you have to turn a little bit ugly when times get hard. We just needed to get together a bit more.

"We've got to take the positives after going to a club like Sheffield United, who shouldn't be in the league, and doing what we did."