Goal Glut - The Players upstage the Ref.
By 4two
October 19 2002
The Saddlers looked to have total control of the game until Keeper Jim Walker was dismissed for handling the ball outside the box. The Saddlers managed to hold on to their lead until the 88th minute, when Preston grabbed a late equalizer.
Walsall 3-3 PNE
Goals: Leitao 20' (Walsall) Junior 25' (Walsall) Healy 37' (PNE) Aranalde 45' (Walsall) Lucketti 75 ' (PNE) Alexander 88' (PNE)
Man of the Match: Jorge Leitao (Walsall)
Preston North End: Moilanen , Alexander , Murdock , Lucketti , Broomes , Skora , Rankine , Etuhu , McKenna , Healy , Cresswell. Subs: Lucas , Jackson , Eaton , Mears , Anderson Preston Form - Average
Walsall: Walker, Bazeley, Hay, Roper, Aranalde, Wrack, O'Connor, Simpson, Corica, Leitao, Junior. Subs: Ward , Zdrilic , Barras , Sonner , Birch Walsall Form - Very Good
Bookings O'Connor (dissent) Bazeley (time wasting) Jimmy Walker (Handling the ball outside the area)
Full Time Report
The Game itself wasn't any real spectacle untill Jorge Leitao converted a Junior through ball on 20 minutes. Prior to the goal there had been three other chances of note, 2 falling to Darren Wrack, and one Preston effort from the edge of the box.
The last 6 or 7 games have seen us growing in confidence, and the movement during our forward play has caused opposition defenses some problems, and this was the case today. The movement of Corica, Junior, Leitao and Wrack had the Preston defense all over the place. On 25 minutes Junior picked the ball up just inside the Preston half on the right flank he beat 3 players before unleashing a 25 yard shot that found its way in to the top left hand corner, and doubled the Saddlers lead. This was possibly one the greatest goals the Bescot Stadium has ever seen, as Junior caught Moilanen off guard.
The game plan was thrown in to turmoil on the half hour mark when Mckenna played a through ball that split the Walsall defence and sent Creswell racing through on goal with Carbon and Roper in pursuit, Walker came rushing out and blocked the Preston effort, and was sent off the handling the ball outside of his area. Their was no doubting Walker blocked the ball outside the box, it was just a matter of whether he handled it or not. The referee did not consult his assistants on the matter and gave Walker a straight Red. The consequent free kick came to nothing and rebounded of the Walsall wall.
Colin Lee was forced the shuffle his pack, and chose to replace Junior with reserve Keeper Ward. The Saddlers seemed to settle down ok ,and continued about their business with Leitao alone upfront. But on 37 minutes Healy took advantage of some confusion in the Walsall box to head home his effort, which Keeper Ward could have done better to get to.
Walsall responded quickly, and continued to press forward, and on 45 minutes an Aranalde cross was handled in the box was Skora. Aranalde stepped up and slammed the penalty home, restoring the Saddlers 2 goal advantage.
Half Time Walsall 3-1 Preston North End.
The Second Half was to be a matter of containing Preston while taking advantage of any chances that came our way.
O'Connor and Simpson were winning a lot of balls in midfield, while Leitao was putting in one the best individual performances we have seen this season as he worked hard ploughing a lone furrow in the Preston half. Some adventurous play from Leitao earned the Saddlers a number of corners, while on a number of occasions he was taking on the Preston defence alone, and to his credit they were resulting to impeding his runs to stop him.
Preston were becoming increasingly physical, and considering how harsh the referee had been in the first half, he seemed to be keeping his cards in his pocket, despite Preston constantly brining Walsall's lively forwards down just inside the Preston half to prevent them causing damage further down the pitch.
Leitao and Corica had chances within a few minutes of each other on the hour mark but they came to nothing as Walsall were unable to sustain any period of real pressure.
Preston began to come forward in numbers. This pressure was rewarded on 75 minutes when Lucketti directed his header past Darren Ward to get Preston back in the game. Shortly after the goal, Leitao was replaced by Zdrilic who failed to make any real impact on the game.
Preston were making their advantage tell having a number of corners and half chances while searching for the equalizer. With 2 minutes to go, an Anderson cross from the left wing found Alexander 18 yards out, who was able to squeeze his shot in to the Walsall goal and secure a share of the points.
Full Time Walsall 3-3 Preston North End.
Player Form
Leitao Wins TheSaddlersFC Man of the Match Award after an all action performance, that should have inspired the rest of his team mates to battle on and secure a win for the Saddlers.
Reaction
Reaction : 4two - A Pleasing Performance from the Lads. Jorge was phenomenal, the best game he has had since Charlton last season. O'Connor and Simpson look to be forging a good partnership, while it was sad that Jorge and Junior were denied a chance to develop their promising partnership a bit more during game. Colin Lee had no choice to but to Sacrifice him, Jorge is more suited to playing alone upfront, and has much more experience. Bashing the ref is a popular past time amongst fans and the media alike. But today's referee put in a truly inconsistent performance. The Sending off Walker was contentious, it wasn't clear from the Purple Stand if it hit Jims hands, but the referee wasn't on top of the incident either and Walker seemed to be saying it hit him in his face. Either way, the decision was given. Juniors goal has to be one of the Best goals ever seen at Bescot, pushing Boli's bicycle kick of 1997 very close. The thing with Junior is that he actually meant to shoot from 35 yards, something no other player on pitch would have had the audacity to do. This shows why Colin Lee has persevered with him despite some quiet performances lately. The Second half was always going to be an uphill battle. The Tactics of the Preston defenders were shocking, bringing down our players every time they got in a positive position. For this we should be disappointed in Craig Brown, a chap respected for playing the game the "right way" and having Graydonesque qualities. A Point gained? or a two Points lost?, either way, we have more at 5:50, than we did at 3:00, ok maybe not Jimmy Walker !
Reaction
: Geoff
Whiting - I think this is a really stupid situation. Yes, I know
people will say we know the rules, Wakker knows the rules etc., but why oh why
is there no distinction between the situation today and a blatant hand ball well
outside the box.
Going back a few years, well all recall Wakker being sent off vs. Barnsley. No
complaints then, he came way out of the box, the ball was
lobbed over him, and his hands went up way above his head to block it. He
then made a total prat of himself by pretending it had hit him in the face,
fooling no-one.
But today, Wakker raced out at speed to close down
the angle as the Preston forward came in, he went down to block, he had no way
of knowing at what point the forward would pull the trigger, and by the time the
ball hit him he had slid just over the 18 yard line. Sorry, but it was a split
second, no more, between being in the box and being out of it, and I don't see
how a goalie can be expected to judge that margin.
The free kick was given two to three feet outside the box,
so the ref. and linesman must also have realized how close Wakker was to getting
a fair block.
These sendings off ruin games
Reaction : Neil Ravenscroft - It also looked a penalty for me when Jorge was brought down in the box second half by Broomes, which would also have meant a red card, as he was the last man. The ref bottled it.
The Division 1 Form Table
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| Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Seq | |
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| N Forest | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 13 | WWDWW |
| Norwich | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 13 | WDWWW |
| Burnley | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 13 | WWWWD |
| P'mouth | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 10 | DWWLW |
| Sheff United | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 10 | WWLDW |
| Reading | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 10 | WWDWL |
| Watford | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 10 | LWWWD |
| Leicester | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 8 | LDWDW |
| Walsall | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 8 | DLDWW |
| Coventry | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 8 | DWLDW |
| Derby | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | DDWLW |
| Grimsby | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 7 | DLWLW |
| Wolves | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 6 | WLLWL |
| Gillingham | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 6 | WDLDD |
| Stoke | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 7 | -1 | 6 | LDDDW |
| Ipswich | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 6 | LWLWL |
| C Palace | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 5 | DDDDD |
| Rotherham | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | -1 | 5 | DDLLW |
| Preston | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 5 | DDLLW |
| Sheff Wed | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 4 | WLLLD |
| Millwall | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 11 | -5 | 4 | LDLWL |
| Bradford | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | -4 | 3 | LDDLD |
| W'don | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 2 | DDLLL |
| Brighton | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 0 | LLLLL |
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