On a gloriously sunny, September afternoon, Walsall welcomed their high-flying visitors from Yorkshire.
A crowd of 4649 was on hand to see if The Saddlers could chalk up their first 3 home points of the season.
The home team had shuffled the starting line-up again but it was Bradford that started the better. They scored a disallowed goal and hit the post in the first 10 minutes.
It took a good 20 minutes for Walsall to register a shot of any note: Rory Holden testing a familiar looking Richard O’Donnell in the away goal. Danny Guthrie also flashed a free-kick close as the half ticked away…..
Our strike-force came out with more purpose in the second half. Rory Gaffney and Caolan Lavery fired in efforts on goal but to no avail. Changes were made to force the issue: Callum Cockerill-Mollett and James Hardy came on for Zak Jules and Holden.
Then, against the run of play, Bradford were awarded a penalty when Dan Scarr bundled over James Vaughan. However, the City forward put the strike in amongst the away fans!
This fired up The Saddlers. They brought Josh Gordon on for Lavery and were on the offensive now, but……
GOAL! A bit of head tennis in our box resulted in Liam Kinsella nodding past the stranded Roberts to send the visitors in to jubilant and smoky celebration.
Ironically, Kinsella had the last chance of the game but headed tamely to their keeper as another three points slipped away.
Afterwards, the gaffer felt we were unlucky to lose. He was disappointed with the players’ reaction to the goal but maintained that we will get there in the end. He urged the fans to stick by the team and things will turn around, hopefully sooner, rather than later.
The Saddlers move on next to two crunch games against teams close to them in the table: Morecombe and Scunthorpe United. Onwards and upwards!
UTS!!