Cook puts it all back in melting pot again
SUNDERLAND boss Jack Ross felt a run of tough fixtures had caught up with his “leggy” side after watching the Black Cats taken to a second-round replay after a draw at Walsall.
The Wearsiders, now unbeaten in 15 games in all competitions, bossed the first half of the all-League One tie and deservedly led at the interval through Aiden McGeady’s back-post finish after he met Bryan Oviedo’s fine low ball across the six-yard box.
But Walsall striker and Newcastle fan Andy Cook fired the Saddlers level with a fine strike eight minutes into the second half.
Nicky Devlin’s low cross picked out Cook to lash into the bottom corner from 15 yards.
From there, the Geordie forward could have sent Walsall through but his looping header hit the bar and he bulleted a header straight at keeper Jon McLaughlin late on.
Ross said: “We didn’t play well in the second half and we looked, for the first time this season, a little bit leggy, which is maybe understandable given the challenges we have had to date, both physically and mentally.
“I’m pleased that we’ve continued this unbeaten run and pleased we are in the draw for the third round, but I’m obviously disappointed with aspects of the performance in the second half.
“My only criticism in the first half was that it became almost too straightforward for us because we were dominant.
“The second half, we didn’t respond to the challenge, but I’m going to defend my players just simply because of what they have given me of late.”
Walsall also drew 2-2 at home to Sunderland in the league a week earlier and boss Dean Keates hopes the results will give his young side a morale boost.
Keates said: “It needs to give them confidence. They are a young squad. But they need to start having a little bit more belief in themselves.
“Every week they understand that we are rarely favourites to win a football match. But we can be unfancied. We showed against Sunderland we have nothing to be scared of.
“We spoke to the players at half-time and just told them to play with a little bit more belief.
“Second half, we looked a lot more like ourselves.”