Matt Taylor: Walsall simply not good enough

Taylor's hunt for a first win in charge of the Saddlers goes on following a 2-0 loss at Victoria Park – meaning they have picked up one point from a possible 12 in League Two so far.

The Pools prevailed comfortably thanks to Tyler Burey's strike and ex-Walsall midfielder Nicky Featherstone's penalty on a thoroughly disappointing afternoon in County Durham.

And Taylor said: "We didn't deserve anything from the game.

"We didn't compete and earn the right in any way, shape or form to win a game of football.

"We didn't win enough second balls and weren't competitive on the pitch.

"I'm quite surprised, to be brutally honest. It's difficult when emotions are so raw so quickly after a match.

"I'll take mistakes, no problem. But what I can't go with is not competing on a football pitch.

"If you don't do that, you're never going to achieve anything at any level of football.

"We have to decipher the performance, go through it, and try to learn from it. I'm really disappointed with what I saw."

Walsall created some early opportunities but in keeping with the theme of the first few weeks of the season, they failed to take any of them.

Ash Taylor was then skipped past by Burey for the opener, with the centre-half later handling the ball in the box for a penalty which Featherstone tucked away.

The Saddlers struggled to create anything of note in the second period while the Pools had chances to add to their tally.

"We weren't able to implement our game style as the opposition were aggressive – far more aggressive than we were with the way that they pressed," said Taylor.

"Then you're asking for a different type of bravery, to make good decisions on the ball.

"It's understanding the right time to play a longer pass and clear your lines, rather than continuing to play short passes which get cut out.

"We didn't make anywhere near enough good decisions on the ball, all over the pitch.

"Every time the ball was loose for a 50/50, we probably didn't come out on top.

"I expect the players to be hurting, and I want that feeling to last."

Walsall host Stevenage next weekend and Taylor added: "I'm devastated we lost as I thought we had the opportunity to pick up a positive result.

"We've got lots to work on now. It's one that has to hurt the players. It's not good enough."