Port Vale defender Nathan Smith was left frustrated after yesterday's defeat, yet stresses there are positives to take.
Before conceding, the Vale backline seemed to be untroubled, with Scott Brown hardly touching the ball at all in the first-half.
Walsall’s only shot on target throughout the entirety of the match was the solitary goal scored by Elijah Adebayo, and Smith admits it is a positive to take from the match yet was left frustrated that the Valiants could not keep the clean sheet.
All in all, it was another solid defensive showing from the back four who left Brown with very little to do, and Smith emphasises that the defence are starting to gel nicely.
“It’s a bitter one to take and they came here to do a job on us and they done that, we didn’t put them under enough pressure.
“I think Browny [Scott Brown] has gone in there and said he hasn’t had a save to make, which when you go into the end of the game saying that you usually end up with three points or at least a draw.
“The gaffer had to force his hand a bit to today with injuries and suspensions, but as a back four we’re gelling nicely, and I think it’s starting to show."
Despite defeat yesterday, the Vale still remain just three points off a play-off spot, which shows just how well the side have been doing lately, and Smith is confident that side can bounce back against Crawley next week.
At just 23-years-old, the Vale centre-half has made over 150 league appearances for the Valiants, and says he cannot use his age as an excuse as he doesn’t consider himself as a young player.
He and Leon Legge have proved to be one of the strongest centre-back partnerships in the league so far this campaign, and Smith believes they can keep more clean sheets as the season goes on.
“It’s a bitter one to take and they came here to do a job on us and they done that, we didn’t put them under enough pressure.
“I think Browny [Scott Brown] has gone in there and said he hasn’t had a save to make, which when you go into the end of the game saying that you usually end up with three points or at least a draw.
“The gaffer had to force his hand a bit to today with injuries and suspensions, but as a back four we’re gelling nicely, and I think it’s starting to show."