Paul Warne reflected that MK Dons came up short against Walsall via a combination of a poor first half and bad luck going forward.
The Dons’ boss spoke after Charlie Lakin’s deflected strike won Walsall the game at Stadium MK, with the result seeing Warne lose a league game as MK Dons boss for the first time.
Speaking to the media afterwards, Warne said he felt the team improved in the second half after the first 45, but felt it ended up being one of those days where the Dons just couldn’t score.
He said, “I think my opinion is probably the same as everyone who was in the stadium. I thought first half, we were poor and weren’t really at the races. I don’t think we started well while they started excellent. We didn’t respond to that really and didn’t have much control in the first half, although Craig only made one save.
“We grew into it a little bit then at half-time, we tried to change it a little bit and get our wide players to stay high and wide, and apart from conceding that chance, I really liked it. I know its not a brilliant thing to say when you’ve lost the game but I really liked how we played. We put lots of crosses in. But I didn’t like that the fact we couldn’t finish any of them. It felt like one of those days where we could be out there forever and just wouldn’t score.”
He further said, “Disappointed with the first half, loved the second, but sometimes its easier to play when you’re behind. We need to play fearlessly like that from the outset.
“We’ll have a good week this week to build up for Grimsby, but disappointed. I thought we’d done enough to at least get a point, but sometimes you don’t.”
The winning goal for Walsall came moments after Callum Paterson missed a chance to make it 1-0 to MK Dons with their first major opportunity, in a move that Warne said was reflective of the game as a whole.
He said, “It probably sums us up today that you didn’t get the luck to win football games. We weren’t as clean as we should be at the top of the pitch and a little unlucky at the back of the pitch. After that, for the next 40 minutes, I was pleased with what the lads tried to do.”
Having suffered the first League Two defeat of the new campaign, Warne added that the next thing to focus on will be the way the team recalibrates to move on from the disappointment.
He said, “Weirdly our best chances didn’t hit the target, which sounds a bit surreal. But I don’t presume under any circumstances we’re going to have a season without defeats or bad performances. If we’d lost to one of the teams in the top 6 playing the way we did when I know we can be better, it’s not the worst, but I also feel by losing the game, it focuses everyone’s mind a little bit, and we can build for another tough game next week.”
The game was the Dons’ last before transfer deadline day, which happens today (01/09). Warne spoke before MK Dons confirmed the signing of Kane Wilson, who was confirmed as a new signing by the club yesterday, but said he was expecting a busy day.
He said, “I expect to get one or two in, as every manager will say up and down the country, and possibly lose one or two. If we didn’t do any more business, I know I’ve got more than enough in the dressing room to be competitive and have a right go, but with everyone, you keep improving. Today is a proving point that we can’t sit on our laurels and collectively haven’t got everything sussed yet. If we can improve, we’ll try to.
“This window seems to have gone on forever. Started in May, now virtually September, but all the fun is in the last 24-48 hours. I will definitely get offered players I would’ve took in a heartbeat.”