Express & Star

Dean Keates: Walsall not good enough

Boss Dean Keates said Walsall weren’t good enough all over the pitch after they slipped to a 2-0 loss at Luton.

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Dean Keates

In what was the Saddlers first defeat on the road this season, Glen Rea gave the Hatters a first-half lead when he bundled the ball in from close range following a corner.

Nottingham Forest loanee Jorge Grant then curled in a free-kick from 20-yards after the interval.

But in truth the Hatters should have won by a greater scoreline with Danny Hylton, Sonny Bradley and Harry Cornick all missing good chances to make it 3-0.

And Keates admitted his team’s display wasn’t good enough - with the boss calling for an immediate reaction with the Saddlers back in action at Southend on Tuesday.

“We are massively disappointed with the performance,” Keates said.

“We didn’t turn up. It’s as simple as that.

“That is nowhere near the standards we have set for ourselves.

“The players are low. But when we have lost this season we have had a reaction and that is something we will be speaking about.

“I’m not one for making excuses. Take nothing away from Luton - they were the better team.

“We’re disappointed for their first goal we’ve conceded from a set-piece. You can’t lose your man.

“Then for the second, we lose possession, we don’t make the right pass and we give a silly free-kick away.

“We didn’t play on the front foot and we struggled to make an impact all over the pitch.

“Collectively we weren’t good enough.”