Smith salutes 'professionals'

Walsall manager Dean Smith felt his side produced a "professional" display after claiming a 2-0 win at struggling Colchester.

The Saddlers secured a second successive league away win thanks to goals from Anthony Forde and Michael Cain. Smith said: "We weren't at our fluent best but I thought that we were very professional. We deserved to win. "I think it's fair to say that we haven't won a lot of games like that this season. "We've played better in our last three home games and lost them. "We were very professional, although we did get troubled a couple of times by balls over the top for whatever reason, in the first 10 minutes. "We were a bit loose at times when they put pressure on us, with long throws into the box and free-kicks and long diagonals. "But we coped with it after that and when they went more direct in the second half, we had to deal with it, which I thought that we did. "We managed to keep a clean sheet and it was a good win for us - our away form has been excellent." Colchester boss Tony Humes admitted his side need to be more clinical. The U's are short of fire-power after leading goalscorer Freddie Sears joined Ipswich on Friday. Humes said: "The players have to be more composed when they opportunity comes to them. "But we're going to keep trying to create chances and we're not going to turn away from it. "We have to believe that we're doing the right things and it shows from the amount of chances that we're creating that we're doing that. "Freddie's gone and we have to forget that now - we have to get on with it. "The players have to be big enough and brave enough to fill his shoes. "It's an opportunity for players and we have to find the right one who's going to score goals for us. "People have to stand up and be brave. "There's a bit of unhappiness in the crowd, which you can understand because of another home defeat. "But I firmly believe we're doing the right thing and that we have the players to go out and win games." Walsall goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell denied both Sanchez Watt and Sammie Szmodics in the opening stages. But Walsall's Jordan Cook clattered the woodwork from a tight angle just before the half-hour mark. The Saddlers took the lead soon after when Forde headed in unmarked from Cook's cross. Szmodics and Elliott Hewitt both went close for Colchester after half-time and Alex Wynter's header rattled the underside of the crossbar. Szmodics fired straight at O'Donnell, but Cain converted Tom Bradshaw's low cross with 15 minutes remaining to wrap up Walsall's win.