Walsall gained a point in a scrappy affair at Valley Parade yesterday after Darren Wrack cancelled out an early strike from Michael Branch, but Bradford boss Nicky Law was sacked after the game as their winless run stretched to eleven games.
Colin Lee made two changes to the team which thrashed Forest on Tuesday, bringing in Hay and Lawrence for the presumably (must have been?!) injured Roper and Osborn. The Saddlers always look weaker without Ropes and Lawrence, against his former club, put in a totally effortless and anonymous performance that seems to be becoming the norm.
Bradford grabbed the lead with the first real attack of the match after five minutes. Ben Muirhead beat Chris Baird – who would later go on to put in a MotM performance – down the right and crossed for former Wolves striker Branch to fire home. Muirhead – who picked up the sponsors MotM award – was a constant outlet to the Bantams and it was notable how well Baird dealt with him, especially without any help from Lawrnce who seemed to be anywhere the ball wasn’t.
Walsall at last took control of the match after a scrappy twenty minute opening spell and Paul Merson chipped just wide as the Saddlers looked for an equaliser. Baird was then harshly booked for a foul on Muirhead before Darren Wrack curled a shot over from twenty yards.
On 35 minutes, Wrack grabbed his fifth goal in four games, firing home the rebound after Baird’s curling left foot shot had come back off the woodwork. Gary Birch, himself a man on form, then cut inside and fired in a fierce shot which keeper Combe did well to turn aside. Jamie Vincent, who had looked steady at left back, was then forced off after failing to recover from a crunching tackle in front of the dugouts. Not surprisingly, Walsall were not awarded a free kick by referee Matt Messiass from Yorkshire (!).
HT 1-1
Dean Windass fired a 25 yard free kick into the wall at the start of the second half and then Ritchie became the second Saddler to be booked after a foul on Windass. Ritchie then glanced a cross from Merson wide before Law sent on former Everton striker Cadamarteri and Hay was lucky not to give away a penalty after an aerial tussle.
The Saddlers looked for a winner and Birch burst through from half way, beating Gavin and Bower for pace and then rounding keeper Combe before falling to the ground, but no penalty was given. The furious Birch was then splendidly picked out by Corica but Combe smothered his left foot shot. Samways then saw an opening twenty yards out but fired disappointingly wide.
The Saddlers settled for a point near the end but Colin Lee was disappointed that we didn’t earn all three. “We created enough chances to win the game. When you are away from home you are always going to have to defend but with all the clear-cut openings and opportunities we had I think we should have been well ahead. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take these chances.”