Jon Whitney: Keep your Walsall heads up

The Saddlers were beaten 3-2 at Bramall Lane in Wednesday night’s first round tie, meaning they have tasted defeat in their opening two games of the season.

Yet boss Whitney took plenty of positives from a performance which saw his team lead until the closing stages against the Championship hosts and is hoping they can quickly rally for Saturday’s League One clash at home to Oldham.

“We have to take the positives,” said Whitney. “What we can’t do is sit down and feel sorry for ourselves because we only have a couple of days to prepare for a big game.

“We have put a bit of pressure on ourselves because we don’t want to make it three defeats out of three.”

Amadou Bakayoko made it four goals in four consecutive games against the Blades when he fired the Saddlers ahead after just 13 minutes.

For much of the evening that looked like being the winner until the hosts drew level with 16 minutes remaining through Kory Roberts’s unfortunate own goal.

Two goals in the space of four minutes from Nathan Thomas and Daniel Lafferty looked to have put the result beyond doubt before Erhun Oztumer’s 90th minute penalty gave the Saddlers late hope.

“I am not really one to dwell on things but the lads do feel a bit of injustice,” added Whitney.

“For 75 minutes I thought we were the better team. We played some really good football and forced them into a change of formation.

“But it is still three goals they have scored and that is what they can do to you.

“I am proud about the first 75 minutes but sometimes individual decisions and game management, that comes with experience. We have not got a lot of experience in the team but that comes from game to game.

“I thought Kory was really unlucky. It was a good strike and Gilly has just palmed it onto him.

“It is nice to come here and outplay a Championship team. I know they made 11 changes but they are still Championship players. I can’t fault the lads effort.”