Striker nets winner against former club at Pride Park…surely something all Walsall fans were dreading this past week? Thankfully for us, it wasn’t that Brazilian scourge Junior who smashed home an 86th minute penalty to snatch all three crucial relegation points but LEE BRADBURY.
Bradbury made his second start for the Saddlers up front alongside the returning Leitao. Paul Peschisolido and Michael Johnson both played for the Rams, having turned down moves to Bescot earlier this season. Former Saddler Jamie Vincent missed out through injury but Junior returned to the sixteen after long term injury.
Derby dominated the first half, lead by the tricky winger Candido Costa. Peschisolido and Everton loanee Leon Osman both tested Walker while Manel’s header was disallowed for offside. Walsall’s best chance came from the left boot of full back Darren Bazeley, whose shot was blocked by keeper Lee Grant.
Rob Edwards replaced the injured Paul Boertein at the start of the second half for Derby and Lee Bradbury then found himself clean through but his lob sailed wide.
Then the home crowd were up in arms when the referee blew for a foul by Keith Andrews – who was then booked – despite Pesch being clean through.
Derby then sent on Junior – to the inevitable boos and ‘Judas’ chants – and McSporran replaced the largely ineffective (still unfit?) Leitao.
With less than five minutes to go and the game looking like a stalemate, Bradbury latched onto a long ball and was hauled down in the area by Johnson. The linesman seemed to have flagged for a foul by Bradbury but the ref gave a penalty and sent off Johnson. Bradbury drilled the ball straight down the middle to win it for Walsall.
Moments later the Saddlers almost clinched victory; Merson fed Bradbury, who played the ball into the path of McSporran. The substitute cut inside two players before firing past Grant, only to see the ball hit the inside of the post and roll away to safety.
Derby threw everything forward in the four minutes of injury time and forced five successive corners! One of these fell to Junior, who thought he had grabbed a cruel equaliser but was denied on the line by Bazeley. Jimmy Walker was booked for time wasting and the Saddlers held on to move six points clear of he drop zone.