Walsall 1-1 Gillingham – Report

If there was a need to be reminded as to why we have faltered away in recent weeks and why we have only won two games in the last sixteen, then yesterdays game was the footprint of our season.

Our domination in the final third wasnt capitalised and we were undone by a soft goal which saw us drop another two points. If we had managed to hold on in most of the games this season then play-offs would have been achieved and if we had managed to find a proven goalscorer in the summer, automatic promotion may have been on the cards.

Its quite easy to weigh up the if’s and but’s, however this could have been a great season, yet its panning into a failed one.

Walsall boss Dean Smith recalled Mal Benning, Craig Westcarr and Milan Lalkovic to the starting X1. Benning replaced Andy Taylor who Dean Smith slightly criticised regarding his form of late.

Lets not talk about the first half, mainly because there is nothing to talk about. A real bore to all that were there.

Walsall took the lead on 55 minutes as Westcarr’s shot was parried by Nelson to the feet of Brandy who calmly slotted away – Brandy has been a revelation these past few weeks and its a worry on how we will replace him once he goes back to his parent club.

Westcarr was again in the thick of the action ten minutes later as his thunderbolt from 25 yards out struck the base of the Gillingham post and somehow bounced to safety.

Milan Lalkovic went close moments later with a fizzing drive that whistled past the post.

Akinfenwa caused us problems and the man nicknamed the beast threaded a perfect ball through to Macdonald who fired past the standed Richard O’Donnell.

Walsall talk about lack of atmosphere and also lack of bums on seats but our home form is poor and the short passing style we have become accustomed to has lacked any real pace or purpose.

With Wolves and Brentford gaining promotion to the Championship and being replaced by Barnsley and Yeovil, League 1 has a more levelled feel to it and next season is a massive one for Dean Smith and Walsall.