Sam Mantom: Walsall FC pitch is now a quagmire
Walsall ace Sam Mantom today revealed the squad's frustration at the Banks's Stadium pitch but insisted they must deal with it.
The Saddlers fought out a scrappy 1-1 draw with Notts County on Saturday on a rapidly deteriorating pitch which has been battered by the weather.
Will Grigg's penalty was cancelled out by Yoann Arquin's equaliser as Walsall missed the chance to close the gap on the League One play-offs.
Mantom admitted the players are disappointed with the state of the surface but refused to use it as an excuse.
He said: "There were a lot of angry people in there. The training ground is under water as well so we're probably used to it, but after five minutes it was a quagmire.
"It was the same for both sides, though. It was one of those sticky ones where you didn't know where it was going to bounce.
"Talking to Febian (Brandy) he was pretty frustrated because he didn't have the chances to break forward or take people on. He is a bit down but what can you do?
"England (Under 21s) played on it and they won so it's the same for us. Notts County came with a gameplan and it was a good game. Probably not the best to watch but we'll take the point."
It kept the Saddlers ninth in League One, seven points behind the play-offs, and maintained their fine start to 2013 after Dean Smith won January's Manager of the Month.
Mantom added: "We've got a team together which has a load of spark and inventiveness.
"We know if we get it to Jamie Paterson, Will Grigg and Febian Brandy we are going to create chances.
"We work on it all week and it shows on the pitch when we get the ball to them. Things are going well and I'm delighted at the moment."
