At eleven minutes past three today, Walsall couldn’t sink any lower. A season in which we were meant to win promotion was looking more like a relegation campaign, we had just been thrashed 5-0 by mighty Colchester and now we found ourselves 0-2 down at home to Huddersfield Town. Cue one of the best comebacks ever witnessed by the Walsall faithful – a stunner from under fire boss Paul Merson and a super Matty Fryatt hat trick helped the Saddlers to a thrilling 4-3 victory.

Julian Bennett’s poor clearance was hammered into the roof of the net by veteran Andy Booth (7) before Pawel Abbott’s shot deflected into the path of Luke Beckett, who notched his second of the afternoon (11).

Walsall replied with a screamer – in off the post – from Merson after 16 minutes but soon found themselves 1-3 down. A free kick was wrongly given against Bennett – whose confidence had fallen from low to non existent since his mistake – and when this was cleared, Efe Sodje’s shot was deflected behind for a corner which was headed in by Beckett, on loan from Sheffield United.

The Saddlers pulled a goal back on the stroke of half time, when Matty Fryatt superbly volleyed past Paul Rachubka from 25 yards. Fryatt then grabbed an equaliser from the penalty spot five minutes into the second half – Sodje’s handball allowed Fryatt to send Rachubka the wrong way from twelve yards.

The Saddlers, buoyed by one of the best Bescot atmospheres for a long time, pushed forward for a winner and it arrived in the shape of Matty Fryatt’s first Walsall hat trick. Darren Wrack broke down the left, fed Merson, who fed Fryatt and he finished first time, netting his twelfth goal of the season (74).

Man of the Match was given to Fryatt but skipper Mark Kinsella – who has at last found his feet in WS1 – and Kris Taylor – recalled to midfield from a highly successful loan spell at Burton Albion – were absolutely superb.