In the Hat - Walsall 1-0 Wimbledon

Walsall 0-1 Wimbledon

Sonner and Roper returned to take their places in a depleted Saddlers squad that saw youngsters Stanley and Wright make the bench. Zdrilic replaced Junior upfront, while Emblen was replaced by Tony Barass.

The pitch was again going to cause both sides problems, so Colin Lee decided to spread the game by pinning Bazeley and Zigor to either touchline when the ball was on the opposite side. Throughout the first half an hour this created a countless number of chances for the Saddlers, and first came to Bazeley, who's 25 yard shot sailed wide of the far post. Two Minutes later, and it was Bazeley again, but this time he forced Davis in to making a save.

The first half was a tale of Walsall's fullbacks bombing forward and getting balls in to the box. In all reality the Dons posed little or no threat to Jim Walker who was only really tested by kicking on the "dodgy surface. The ref had a good half, and was keen for the advantage to be played at every possible opportunity, and he never called any quick free kicks back. The final 5 minutes of the half were arguably the most lively. Shippley twice tested Jimmy Walker, forcing him too tip his powerful shot around the post. The final chance of the half fell to Zdrilic who glanced a header well wide of the Wimbledon goal after a good ball in from the left wing.

Half Time : Saddlers 0-0 Wimbledon

The second half was dominated by missed chances and players hesitating over shooting. Just like in the first half it took the second half a good 10 minutes to get flowing, Barass had a header go wide, and Simpson a long range effort from Simpson that went the same way. The Dons had replaced Agyemang with Ainsworth, in hope of pinning the rampant Zigor Aranalde back.

The final 20 minutes were the most interesting of the 90. Aranalde went very close as his mis hit cross to the back post forced Davis to palm the ball over the  bar. Wrack then forced Davis in to making a save when all he had to do was shoot earlier or dribble around the advancing keeper to score, while Connolly had a rare shot on goal from 20 yards that went wide of the Walsall goal. As the tempo seemed to rise, so did the volume of the Bescot crowd that had been the quietist it had been all season. Sonner, Bazeley, Aranalde and Leitao were all key figures in the late rally, and these four players carried the  fight deep in to the Wimbledon half. Sonner seemed to be relishing the midfield battle, despite an indifferent start to the game, while Leitao was popping up on either flank battling for every ball.

On more than one occasion the Saddlers worked the ball to the edge of the Wimbledon penalty area, but failed to carve out a shooting chance, or when they were going to shoot, the Dons defenders swept the ball away from their toes because they hesitated. All this was deemed insignificant on 74 minutes when Sonner released Leitao down the right wing, and he cut the ball back to Zdrilic who hammered a low hard shot  in to the near post, leaving Davis with no chance.

The Saddlers never seriously looked like conceding an equaliser. Ainsworth looked threatening, and had the odd surge down the right wing, but he was soon outnumbered by Saddlers defenders and the ball cleared away. Wrack and Simpson were two of the most disappointing Saddlers performers on the day, with careless passing being the hallmark of their  performances. Connolly and Tapp both had efforts from 25 yards that weren't good enough to get them back in to the game, while Francis went close after a corner fell to him, before with just two minutes left Ainsworth headed wide.

Overall, you couldn't help thinking that with Corica and Junior playing that we would unlocked the Dons defence earlier, and more often than we did today. We lacked the craft and guile that they can bring to a game, but we kept chipping away and took one of the many chances we created.

Half Time : Saddlers 1-0 Wimbledon