Earlier this evening Walsall Football Club played host to Chesterfield, in the latest Sky Bet League One fixture of the season. Bescot Banter columnist Scott Brotherton was in attendance, and shares his Match Report below.
It was a quiet start at a subdued Banks's. There was an uncomfortable silence around the stadium, coming from pure tension rather than a lack of numbers.
Things weren't helped when Sam Morsy found space on edge of the area but his deflected shot was easy for Richard O'Donnell
The first 20 minutes provided no clear opportunities, however Chesterfield were having the better of the action. Walsall weren't looking particularly threatening.
That was until great work from Romaine Sawyers allowed Andy Taylor to cross for Tom Bradshaw. Making his first start after recovering from a hamstring injury, Bradshaw couldn't generate power from the looping ball and Spireites goalkeeper Tommy Lee gathered to his right.
Chesterfield struck back quickly when Dan Jones bombed down left and crossed to head of Sam Clucas. It was a brilliant effort, nodded from only just inside box, and it dropped narrowly wide.
Sawyers then tried a slightly audacious attempt from 20 yards out. The outswinging curler got a few bums off seats but was always going wide.
The Saddlers had a good chance despite the more dangerous play coming from the Spireites. The ball trickled across the box until it found Sawyers, and he deceived everyone with a clever backheel to Jordan Cook at far post. Cook, moving out to the wing to accommodate Bradshaw, shot at goal but a couple of defenders got across to block his powerful effort.
Ben Purkiss didn't cover himself in glory at the other end. Dan Gardner skipped past him easily, after nothing but a poor attempt at obstruction by the right-back, and crossed to Clucas from the byline. Clucas had little time to adjust, so he hit his volley into ground and O'Donnell was able to beat it away.
Most Saddlers fans would say they were more than happy with 0-0 at half-time, especially considering how Paul Cook's side looked like they could score at any time.
H/T: Walsall 0 Chesterfield 0
They kept looking like this in the second half, as Clucas stung the hands of O'Donnell with a vicious strike from the angle only four minutes after the restart.
Chesterfield keeper Lee kept O'Donnell out of the first team and eventually pushed him into the arms of Walsall, and Saddlers fans nearly had something else to thank him for when he presented an open goal to Bradshaw.
Lee came out to mop up the danger, but rather prodded at the ball and it fell to the star striker. Bradshaw was under pressure though and had no choice but to try an acrobatic first-time volley, which he put well wide of the unguarded net.
Morsy curled a free kick wide and midfielder Jimmy Ryan dragged one past the post as the Spireites continued to provide a threat.
James Baxendale blasted a shot from edge of the area which was blocked for a corner, and it was to be his last contribution before he was replaced by Anthony Forde.
Walsall were finally establishing a period of pressure and, unlike at Crawley on Tuesday, they made the most of it.
Quick tiki-taka passing on the edge the box was a joy to watch. It was one touch each from Forde, to Michael Cain, to Bradshaw. The former Shrewsbury man beat the offside trap and was there again to lift over Lee and claim his sixth goal of the season.
The 61st minute opener seemed to make the Saddlers play better, and Forde tried a chip which was headed off the line following a short corner to the substitute.
Amongst all the tension though, it was wonderful to see Sam Mantom take to the field with 12 minutes to go. After missing so much of the season through injury, he got a standing ovation on his home return.
Forde had really injected some pace and flair into Dean Smith's side, and must be in line to start the next game with neither Baxendale or Cook setting the world alight. He drove wide from 20 yards after Sawyers wriggled out of difficult position to feed the former Wolves man.
Mal Benning also came on and must have strengthened his cause as well. He cut inside, beating three players along the way, before Lee spread himself well to save at near post and prevent an outstanding goal.
Chesterfield can feel aggrieved that they didn't get something from the game, but they can blame Gary Roberts who had a glorious chance in added time. It dropped to him on the half volley but Roberts fired wastefully wide from a great position inside the box.
F/T: Walsall 1 Chesterfield 0
In the tight confines of the League One basement this shoots Walsall all the way up from 23rd to 19th. Only Port Vale and Coventry were bottom-half winners along the Saddlers.
It was a quiet start at a subdued Banks's. There was an uncomfortable silence around the stadium, coming from pure tension rather than a lack of numbers.
Things weren't helped when Sam Morsy found space on edge of the area but his deflected shot was easy for Richard O'Donnell
The first 20 minutes provided no clear opportunities, however Chesterfield were having the better of the action. Walsall weren't looking particularly threatening.
That was until great work from Romaine Sawyers allowed Andy Taylor to cross for Tom Bradshaw. Making his first start after recovering from a hamstring injury, Bradshaw couldn't generate power from the looping ball and Spireites goalkeeper Tommy Lee gathered to his right.
Chesterfield struck back quickly when Dan Jones bombed down left and crossed to head of Sam Clucas. It was a brilliant effort, nodded from only just inside box, and it dropped narrowly wide.
Sawyers then tried a slightly audacious attempt from 20 yards out. The outswinging curler got a few bums off seats but was always going wide.
The Saddlers had a good chance despite the more dangerous play coming from the Spireites. The ball trickled across the box until it found Sawyers, and he deceived everyone with a clever backheel to Jordan Cook at far post. Cook, moving out to the wing to accommodate Bradshaw, shot at goal but a couple of defenders got across to block his powerful effort.
Ben Purkiss didn't cover himself in glory at the other end. Dan Gardner skipped past him easily, after nothing but a poor attempt at obstruction by the right-back, and crossed to Clucas from the byline. Clucas had little time to adjust, so he hit his volley into ground and O'Donnell was able to beat it away.
Most Saddlers fans would say they were more than happy with 0-0 at half-time, especially considering how Paul Cook's side looked like they could score at any time.
H/T: Walsall 0 Chesterfield 0
They kept looking like this in the second half, as Clucas stung the hands of O'Donnell with a vicious strike from the angle only four minutes after the restart.
Chesterfield keeper Lee kept O'Donnell out of the first team and eventually pushed him into the arms of Walsall, and Saddlers fans nearly had something else to thank him for when he presented an open goal to Bradshaw.
Lee came out to mop up the danger, but rather prodded at the ball and it fell to the star striker. Bradshaw was under pressure though and had no choice but to try an acrobatic first-time volley, which he put well wide of the unguarded net.
Morsy curled a free kick wide and midfielder Jimmy Ryan dragged one past the post as the Spireites continued to provide a threat.
James Baxendale blasted a shot from edge of the area which was blocked for a corner, and it was to be his last contribution before he was replaced by Anthony Forde.
Walsall were finally establishing a period of pressure and, unlike at Crawley on Tuesday, they made the most of it.
Quick tiki-taka passing on the edge the box was a joy to watch. It was one touch each from Forde, to Michael Cain, to Bradshaw. The former Shrewsbury man beat the offside trap and was there again to lift over Lee and claim his sixth goal of the season.
The 61st minute opener seemed to make the Saddlers play better, and Forde tried a chip which was headed off the line following a short corner to the substitute.
Amongst all the tension though, it was wonderful to see Sam Mantom take to the field with 12 minutes to go. After missing so much of the season through injury, he got a standing ovation on his home return.
Forde had really injected some pace and flair into Dean Smith's side, and must be in line to start the next game with neither Baxendale or Cook setting the world alight. He drove wide from 20 yards after Sawyers wriggled out of difficult position to feed the former Wolves man.
Mal Benning also came on and must have strengthened his cause as well. He cut inside, beating three players along the way, before Lee spread himself well to save at near post and prevent an outstanding goal.
Chesterfield can feel aggrieved that they didn't get something from the game, but they can blame Gary Roberts who had a glorious chance in added time. It dropped to him on the half volley but Roberts fired wastefully wide from a great position inside the box.
F/T: Walsall 1 Chesterfield 0
In the tight confines of the League One basement this shoots Walsall all the way up from 23rd to 19th. Only Port Vale and Coventry were bottom-half winners along the Saddlers.
By: Scott Brotherton.
WALSALL 1 CHESTERFIELD 0
GOALSCORER: Tom BRADSHAW 61'
ATTENDANCE: 4,230 (938 Chesterfield)
REFEREE: Mr. Kevin Wright, Cambridgeshire.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Tom Bradshaw (Walsall).
WALSALL O'Donnell; Purkiss, J.Chambers, Downing, Taylor; Cain (Mantom 78'), A.Chambers; Cook (Benning 82'), Sawyers , Baxendale (Forde 58'); Bradshaw
SUBS NOT USED MacGillivray; O'Connor; Grimes, Manset
CHESTERFIELD Lee; Evatt , Darikwa , Jones, Morsy, Gobern (Banks 88'), Gardner (Roberts 71'), Ryan (O'Shea 70'), Clucas, Doyle, Margreitter
SUBS NOT USED Hunt, Raglan, Humphreys, Boco