United manager Mark Robins was pleased with the efforts of his team after seeing them secure a 4-1 win at Walsall on Saturday.
The away side went in front courtesy of an own goal from Saddlers defender James Chambers, and doubled their before the interval through Leicester City loanee Tom Hopper.Walsall’s Michael Cain pulled a goal back early in the second half for the hosts, but a penalty from Paddy Madden was swiftly followed by a Neal Bishop strike to register a resounding victory.
Such a score-line proved particularly pleasing for Robins given the challenges presented throughout the contest, and the 45-year-old told The Iron Player: “Once we got the second goal it looked like we might just run away with it, but we didn’t.
“We got to the half-time break, then Walsall again started off brighter when we came out. They have bright players, and do a really terrific job here.
“I’m grateful to get the win. I think we deserved it in the end, but having said that I think they’ll make one or two complaints regarding decisions which went against them.
“On the day we probably could have question one or two ourselves, but we’ve got the three points, and that’s all that matters really.”
Those refereeing decisions included Miguel Llera having a goal disallowed in addition to the visitors seeing their initial awarding of a penalty overturned, and Robins admitted: “There didn’t look to be too much wrong with it [Llera’s goal], but we don’t know because of our vantage point.
“The referee has made a decision, and you have to stand by that and not let it affect you. We bounced back, and Tom [Hopper] was the catalyst for that.
“There were a lot of long balls today, which is not something we practice as we like to play an attractive type of football, but it was a way of creating opportunities to score goals. We ended up playing the conditions, and what the game gave us, extremely well.
The victory sees United stretch their unbeaten sequence to 11 matches in all competitions, and Robins added: “It keeps the run going, and keeps us in confident mood.
“What it’s done is given an opportunity to the players we’ve just brought in to have an impact on the game, none more so than Tom Hopper who was outstanding. He was brave, got in good positions and won the ball in dangerous areas.
“Obviously he’s bright enough to pick people out, and he’s got a goal as well, so we’re delighted with him.”
See much more from Mark Robins, Neal Bishop and Tom Hopper on The Iron Player.