The Saddlers make a Point.
By Alan Stokes, 4two & Ian Hemmings.
January 1 2003
The Saddlers picked up a point in the one destination people thought they were unlikely to over the festive period. When they fell 1-0 down after 15 minutes, you would have thought they were down and out.
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Notts Forest 1-1 Walsall |
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by Alan Stokes :
The first half performance by the Saddlers was in all honesty an absolute shambles. The performance would have had followers of third division football turning their noses up as the Saddlers were unable to string two passes together.
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| Walsall
looked like a disorganized rabble with Forest totally dominant throughout.
Forest were playing football, passing, moving and attacking with purpose.
As early as the fifth minute Prutton broke free down the left hand side
and whistled over a cross which Harewood, who had escaped the marking of
Pollet, fortunately whistled over the bar. Walsall did not learn from
this.
Forest took the lead from another break down the left hand flank. Prutton raced past Aranalde and crossed the ball into the box for Thompson, who had once again escaped the poor Pollet and firmly put the ball into the back of the net. Walsall rallied briefly with a few high punted balls upfield but didn’t threaten Wards goal. The only chances Saddlers had were a few long range efforts that Ward had no problem dealing with. It didn’t look promising that Walsall were going to take anything from this game, so poor and disorganised was their first half showing. However, the second half was a different matter. HT: Forest 1-0 Saddlers Walsall came out firing on all cylinders and laid siege to the Forest goal creating chance after chance. Ainsworth and Bazeley were continually attacking down the right flank putting crosses into the middle. An excellent cross from Ainsworth found Wrack on the penalty spot but unfortunately he headed inches wide. A few minutes later Aranalde supplied a cross from the left which Junior headed inches wide of the far post. Saddlers were well on top with Forest barely able to get out of their own half. Another attacking raid down the left flank, this time by Junior, resulted in him pulling the ball back for Wrack who steadied, aimed and fired agonisingly wide of the far post. As the Saddlers piled on the pressure the breakthrough finally came. Ainsworth raided down the right but failed to get a decent cross in. The ball rebounded back to the onrushing Bazeley who produced the most delightful of crosses for Ainsworth the head into the far corner. The Saddlers were at this point serving up some excellent attacking play far removed from the dismal showing in the first half. With 10 minutes to go Walsall eased off the pedal with Sonner coming on to replace Junior. It then turned out to be a nerve racking backs to the wall remaining few minutes as Saddlers decided to camp on their 18 yard line. Fortunately Forest were unable to breakthrough the Saddlers rearguard. The second half saw some excellent performances. Most notably Ainsworth and Bazeley. However, the man of the match accolade must go to the excellent Wrack who dominated the midfield. He popped up down the right flank, down the left flank, in the middle of the pitch as well as up front along side the strikers. His best performance ever in a Saddlers shirt. HT: Town 3-2 Saddlers. |
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