Matthew Aplin's match report...
It was a frustrating game for Walsall as they drew 1-1 after playing Sheffield United.Dean Smith agreed that Walsall played better than United and he said “we played better in the 80 minutes but the first 10 minutes United was better.”
It was a hard fought match with Walsall hitting the bar twice the first coming from a corner in the 30 minute from a Paul Downing header coming off the left bar.
Then in the 35 minute Milan Lalkovic took a longshot just outside the box coming close and hitting the crossbar.
But Walsall did go in the lead first from a well worked goal from Tom Bradshaw with brilliant passing around the area and Romaine Sawyers putting the ball back into the 6 yard box for Tom to finish it with ease.
Dean Smith paid tribute to Tom Bradshaw by saying “Tom is confident and is a top performer but the whole team is” he then went on to say “the movement from Sawyers, Morris and Milan was outstanding.”
But Sheffield United did get a goal back to make it 1-1 by Jose Baxter going bottom right.
Dean Smith said that “I was a shame how we let the goal in but to be fair we was the better team.”
George Evans received the man of the match and it showed in his performance but the whole team played great but Evans determination and the pressure he put on the opposition was needed to get Walsall to have that fight to go for the win but it didn’t happen while United hanged for a draw.
With this Walsall have stayed third in the table with a game in hand on most of the teams except for three teams Millwall, Burton, and Shrewsbury and with this Walsall are easily title contenders as the style and the points Walsall have gathered this season.
Also the defence was solid especially against a team like Sheffield United who will be up there this season.
Walsall had the most chances which came from Evans and his driven runs while at the other half of the pitch with Neil Etheridge saving us on two occasions to keep us in the game.
In the entire match it could have been a win to Walsall but they made hard work of the situation and they got one point instead of the three.