REPORT | Walsall 1 Sheffield United 1 REPORT | Walsall 1 Sheffield United 1

REPORT | Walsall 1 Sheffield United 1

Earlier today, Walsall Football Club played host to Sheffield United in the latest Sky Bet League 1 fixture of the season. Pete Sadler was in attendance, and shares his match report below.
Earlier today, Walsall Football Club played host to Sheffield United in the latest Sky Bet League 1 fixture of the season. Pete Sadler was in attendance, and shares his match report below.

Where to begin? Today's game had everything apart from a sending off...and debatably there could have been one of those.

Walsall welcomed Nigel Atkins' Sheffield United this afternoon after an international break and two weeks without a league fixture, looking to maintain their winning ways in an effort to return to the top of the league...with a game in hand.

Whilst the common consensus is that we are supposed to have ill feeling towards the Blades, after all they steal our players and are a much bigger club. They once were in the Premier League you know. I have to confess however that I have a bit of a soft-spot for them, having been in the home end at Bramall Lane a few times with a good friend...I've always been well received and enjoyed good banter.

That aside, when I saw the line-ups I feared the worse and expected a home defeat come 5pm. That had nothing to do with the Saddlers starting XI I hasten to add; I think the chosen eleven represented the best possible line-up with the available squad. 4-2-3-1 with Rico Henry chosen over former Blade Andy Taylor at left-back, Milan Lalkovic and Kieron Morris out wide over Jordan Cook and Anthony Forde.

After a less-than-perfectly observed silence in remembrance of the recent events in Paris (massive props to the Sheff United fan who branded his own loud-mouthed fans as a 'f*****g disgrace' in a loud Yorkshire accent to resolve the issue) the Saddlers began the match patiently but at a decent tempo. The first effort on goal came from on-loan George Evans who's long range fizzer was tipped round the left-hand post by visiting keeper, George Long.

The Blades came back into the game after they managed to slow down the pace of the game, mostly down to the diver-in-chief Jamal Campbell-Ryce. No doubting the tricky winger's ability, which lead to United's first opportunity after his cross found the head of Jose Baxter but the midfielder headed tamely into Neil Etheridge's gloves, however his un sportsmanship was annoying in the extreme.

For all the neat build-up play and possession enjoyed by the home side the next chance came from a more direct approach after a quarter of an hour; a long humped ball forward was chased down by the ever-eager Tom Bradshaw who lofted the ball high over Long from the left-hand side but the shot went just wide of the far post. I have to feel the keeper had it covered though.

The Saddlers remained persistent and the young visiting stopper produced a string of saves shortly later, firstly from Morris' pile driver which he spilt but managed to react quickly enough to foil Bradshaw, then Romaine Sawyers had a follow-up blocked before Lalkovic shot high over the bar and but for the old scoreboard would have caused a pile-up on the M6.

Walsall were definitely in the ascendancy at this point and it only seemed a matter of time before the deadlock was broken. Next up after 25 minutes was Evans again as he pirouetted past a number of Blades defenders to leave himself one-on-one with the keeper, however his powerful drive was palmed wide by Long.

Long was beaten before the end of the half from a Morris corner which was headed goal bound by Paul Downing, but the defenders effort struck the post and was cleared from danger.

The last chance of the first period came from a Lalkovic rocket from distance on the left-hand side of the pitch but the ball cannoned off the crossbar and was hooked away. It would have meant a deserved lead for the home side at the break but it wasn't meant to be.

Goalless at the break and I remained concerned that we could not play that well again in the second period and/or the Blades could not be that bad as well. The old adage of scoring when you are on top is something I've seen come back to bite us too many times before. Still, at least we don't have fans predicting the score in their hair...if you haven't seen the Gillingham fan that did, then find it and laugh out loud (especially given the accuracy of the predication).

SKY BET LEAGUE 1 - HALF TIME
WALSALL 0 SHEFFIELD UNITED 0

The second half started in the same way as the first; Walsall with the upper hand and the Blades slowing down proceedings, quite significantly as it happened as Baxter stayed down after catching a flailing arm in the face. Poor mite.

When the action finally began again the Saddlers seized the lead they deserved. Fine interplay between Evans and Sawyers on the right hand side resulted in a low pass across the box from the byline which left Bradshaw to tap home from close range at the back post. The Welsh strikers first goal in a month and a great way to get that monkey off his back. Delighted for him that his hard work finally resulted in a goal.

The Blades did not take the disappointment lying down, not that you would expect them to after coming from two down in their last league game. Almost immediately Che Adams had his shot saved by Etheridge and the youngster went even closer shortly after after racing through, chipping Etheridge and then going down when through on goal under challenge of the keeper and James O'Connor. From where I was sitting it looked a nail on penalty without a doubt and I'd suggest this was a stroke of fortune. Please tell me if I'm wrong.

Sheff United still refused to be hard done by and levelled the match on the 71st minute. This was after Billy Sharp had made way for Connor Sammon and took the substitution graciously by booting a seat in the visitors dugout...his best touch of the day you may argue. Sammon played a part in the build-up to the equaliser in holding off a Saddlers defender before Baxter fired home past Etheridge's left hand.

Dean Smith sought to change the Saddler's fortunes by replacing Morris for Forde five minutes later and then Lalkovic for Cook a further few minutes later.

As Bradshaw was felled on the left-hand side of the pitch just outside the box in the last minutes of normal time Forde was given the opportunity to win the match for Walsall but his decent effort narrowly missed Long's right post. Had it been on target I doubt he would have been able to deny the Irish winger's attempt.

Both teams continued to press for the winner in the last embers of the game but it was the visiting side that had the more clear-cut chances. Etheridge doing well to deny both Baxter and Adams in added time, but it was not meant to be as the game ended 1-1.

At full time driving home I genuinely couldn't fathom whether I was happy with the performance, annoyed that we didn't win it, relieved that we got away with a great penalty shout  against us and a number of fine saves from our keeper or disappointed that we didn't make the most of our dominance. It was that kind of game.

Maybe a draw was the right result all things considered, although we were much the better side in terms of shots on goal and on target. A goal for Tom against a formidable side on their day and a good team performance can't be ignored. Am I being too greedy by expecting 6 points from the next two games if we play like that again? We will see. Onwards to the County Ground on Tuesday. Up the Saddlers.

SKY BET LEAGUE 1 - RESULT
WALSALL 1 SHEFFIELD UNITED 1
GOALS | Bradshaw (51') - Baxter (66')
ATTENDANCE | 5,780 | (1,267 Sheffield United)
REFEREE | Mr. Geoff Eltringham

BY | PETE SADLER | @Pistol_PeteS9
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