Young Walsall duo Matt Fryatt and Mark Wright scored their first goals for the
club to shock play-off hopefuls Preston at Deepdale and hand the Saddlers a
vital three points in their fight against relegation.
Fryatt struck after 74 seconds with a header from a Paul Merson corner and the
former England star was also the provider for Wright's 65th minute winner.
Preston dominated much of the game but are now off the pace in their battle to
make the Nationwide Division One play-offs and only once managed to beat
inspirational Walsall keeper James Walker, from Graham Alexander's 53rd minute
penalty.
Neil Emblen's 25-yard pile-driver had already forced North End keeper Andy
Lonergan into a flying save before Fryatt made the breakthrough.
The Lilywhites conceded after two minutes in the midweek defeat at Coventry
and they repeated the feat when the 18-year-old striker headed powerfully into
the roof of the net from Merson's wind-assisted inswinging corner
A couple of minutes later Fryatt tried his luck from the edge of the box but
failed to test Lonergan.
Preston's most likely route back into the game was from set-pieces as the wind
made accurate passing difficult. But headers following corners from Simon Lynch
and Michael Jackson were both dealt with by the Saddlers' defence.
And Preston's cause was not helped when defender Rob Edwards was forced off
through injury after 24 minutes to be replaced by Jeff Smith.
But they created their best opportunity of the half on the half-hour mark when
great work from Richard Cresswell set up Claude Davis who fired over the bar
from close range.
Alexander and Paul McKenna both went close as half-time approached and when
McKenna did get the ball in the net it was disallowed by referee Colin Webster.
Preston got the goal their dominance deserved eight minutes into the second
half.
Matt Carbon upended Cresswell as he charged into the area and Alexander easily
beat Walker from the penalty spot.
But Walsall shocked the home crowd by retaking the lead with another header.
Merson's measured left wing cross brilliantly picked out Wright and the
22-year-old midfielder nodded past Lonergan.
Walker tipped an Alexander shot round the post as Craig Brown's side responded
strongly and Walsall were hanging on when Cresswell and Simon Lynch both hit the
woodwork.
Cresswell also had a shot blocked on the line after being set up by David
Healy but without suspended leading scorer Ricardo Fuller Preston lacked the
quality to beat Walker for a second time.
Teams
Preston: Lonergan, Alexander, Davis, Michael Jackson,
Edwards (Smith 24), McKenna, Gemmill, Keane, Lynch, Healy,
Cresswell, Smith (Koumantarakis 74).
Subs Not Used: Gould, McCormack, Briscoe.
Booked: Lynch.
Goals: Alexander 53 pen.
Walsall: Walker, Roper, Ritchie, Carbon (Bazeley 64), Wright,
Andrews, Burley, Merson, Aranalde, Emblen (Osborn 64),
Fryatt (Kris Taylor 87).
Subs Not Used: Petterson, Corica.
Booked: Burley, Carbon.
Goals: Fryatt 2, Wright 65.
Att: 11,551
Ref: C Webster (Tyne & Wear).
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