Mike Williamson insisted Carlisle United’s defeat at Walsall was down to their failings in the final third rather than accusations of “stale possession”.

The Blues lost 3-1 at the Poundland Bescot Stadium as many away fans vented their frustration at the team.

Carlisle remain in the League Two relegation zone after another flawed showing which brought fresh criticism to new boss Williamson and his side.

United conceded a poor early goal and then had the lion’s share of possession without creating any serious chances.

Walsall then struck twice more early in the second half, rendering Jon Mellish’s late goal slim consolation.

On the period when United bossed possession but did little with it, Williamson said: “We wanted to have as much of the ball as we can because we know when they are in possession how dangerous they are.

“But the fact is, whether we go from front to back quick or we try and work the way through, we didn't hurt their back line and we didn't threaten their goal.

“And I think that we've seen that the quicker you go from back to front, the quicker they're entering your 18-yard box because that's where their strength is and that's what's difficult.

“So it was nothing to do with stale possession. It was just to do with us not having the quality in the final third.”

Nathan Lowe fired Walsall ahead with Jamie Jellis and Jamille Matt adding further goals for Mat Sadler’s side, before Mellish turned home a corner late on.

Carlisle remain second bottom, three points adrift in the drop zone and faced choruses of ‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt’ by some exasperated travelling fans at the Poundland Bescot Stadium.

Asked if he still believes he has the players to play his brand of possession football, given how Carlisle failed at Walsall, Williamson said: “Yes – and all that would have happened if we had just put our foot through it and put them on the back foot is it would have come back much quicker.

“That's it, as simple as that. We didn't have the quality to retain possession higher up for long enough periods. And when we did enter their final third, we couldn't get a clear effort on goal.

“These are things [where] we have to accept where we are and we have to keep working.

“[It was a game between] two clubs at different ends of their journey. I thought that they [Walsall] deserved a lot of credit. They're where they are for a reason. They've been building in the last couple of years and they've constructed a squad that deserves to be up and around it.

United suffered their ninth defeat in 13 League Two gamesUnited suffered their ninth defeat in 13 League Two games (Image: Richard Parkes)

“Obviously, we are in the early stages of the process and the start obviously didn't help us. We made it very, very hard for ourselves, and we knew how hard the evening was going to be in general.

“But we've just got to keep working and we've got to keep controlling what we can control. We've got to dust ourselves down. I saw a lot of determination just to keep trying to do the right things, and a lack of quality, and we got hurt in transition, but from a very good team.”

Williamson insisted he could not fault his players’ effort in spite of their struggles.

On the goals they conceded, he added: “That’s just where we're at. As much as we don't like it, we’ll watch it back, we'll give the lads the information.

“We've got to hold our hands up where we let ourselves down. But we've got to make sure that we keep fighting. That's what I saw from the group. I saw a group that wanted to run for each other and fight for each other.

“We lacked quality. There were many five- to ten-yard passes that were going astray. And we broke our own rhythm up, which we can look back on and make sure that we improve.

“But in terms of the overall assessment, they overpowered us.”

On his response to the chants from angry Blues fans, Williamson said: “I can understand it, firstly, of course. They've been through this for a long time. It must feel like a lifetime.

“But for us, the lads in there are hurting. For me, it's just trying to support them and trying to help them get out of this position, because the only way of getting out of it is through fight and grit and determination to turn it around.

“And when it does turn, the fans will be singing their names and they'll be getting behind the boys, and that's the nature of it.

“We have to appreciate the place that the football club's at, but there's an ownership that are doing everything they possibly can to get this club moving in the right direction.

“We've got a group of staff and a group of players that are fighting and at the minute we're coming up short, but that won't be the story this season.

“The only thing we can do is control the controllables and make sure that we turn it [by] sticking together.”