FA CUP 2ND RND MATCH REPORTS
JACK ROSS felt a run of tough fixtures had caught up with his ‘leggy’ side after watching Sunderland taken to a replay.
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.
But striker and Newcastle fan Andy Cook fired Walsall level with a fine effort eight minutes into the second half. From there, the Geordie forward could have sent Walsall through with one of two headers, but hit the bar with one looping effort and was denied by McLaughlin from close range 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 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 very dominant.
‘They have been very good and they have a lot of demands placed upon them. Today was the first time I thought it caught up with them a little bit.’
Walsall 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. Every week they understand that we are rarely favourites to win a match. But we can be unfancied.
‘That is what we are as a football club. But we showed against Sunderland we have nothing to be scared of.’
On Cook, he added: ‘He’s a Newcastle fan, he’s a Geordie lad and he will take great pleasure in that. He was outstanding.’