If the win t’other week at home to Forst was a measure of how far Richard Money has taken this team, then yesterday showed that the play offs are far from being an unrealistic goal - even with a thin squad.

Let’s face it, without the fifteen point deduction, Leeds are a team that would be miles clear at the top of the table, but they were more than matched by the Saddlers yesterday.

While the Yorkshiremen had slightly the better of the first half in terms of possession, Walsall still had the better chances and Clayton Ince didn’t have a save to make. The second half belonged conclusively to the Saddlers, both in terms of possession and in chances made, especially as Leeds resorted more and more to somewhat desperate long ball tactics. Even at the end of a pulsating game that was a magnificent advertisement for the Division, Ince had only made one save, from a badly scuffed shot and had been beaten once by an outrageous deflection from a free kick going well wide.

The sponsors gave the Man of the Match to Tommy Mooney, but it could have gone anywhere on the day. Dann and Gerrard were outstanding at the back, as were the fullbacks, Weston and Fox. Darren Wrack had his finest game in a Walsall shirt for many a long year and Bradley, as he got into the game, started to dominate. Sweeney showed more than a few glimpses of his class, while Mooney and Ricketts were a real handful (I’d love to have seen some of those offside decisions again, as a couple looked very dubious).

All in all, it can be summed up by the fact that, before the game, I wanted it over, with no suspensions, no injuries and a point would have been wonderful. At full time, I was deeply disappointed that we didn’t have the three points our play deserved (and, before he posts his comment, yes, I do realise you get what you deserve in football - but you know what I mean!).