Walsall continued their fight for First Division survival with a narrow win
over Portsmouth.
But now they may have to beat Ipswich at Portman Road next Sunday to avoid
relegation to the Second Division.
But at least they are still in the hunt and their match winner was Spanish
winger Pedro Matias who scored in the 13th minute.
It came following a mistake by Portsmouth skipper Darren Moore, and when
Russell Hoult dived to keep out a drive from Dean Keates, Matias was on the spot
to net his sixth goal of the season from close range.
The Saddlers had several chances to make it safe before half-time, but Andy
Rammell and Tom Bennett wasted them.
Pompey, safe from relegation, showed little desire in the first half but did
improve in the second with winger Kevin Harper, who had a spell on loan to the
Saddlers from Derby County this season, causing problems.
And Harper almost wrecked his old team-mates' hopes in the 71st minute with a
flashing drive from 30 yards which James Walker got his fingertips to,
deflecting the ball against the bar.
Walsall looked a bag of nerves as they tried to hang on to the points,
creating little up front, although Rammell did miss hit a volley at the far post
with a chance to settle it six minutes from the end.
Now Walsall and their fans face a massive task against Ipswich, who can still
win automatic promotion to the Premiership. It is not the final game they need
after a brave scrap to stay in Division One.
Neither side really produced anything like their true form, with top scorer
Lee Bradbury of Pompey totally subdued by Walsall defender Ian Roper, who was
outstanding.
Paul Hall did well for the Saddlers against his former team but his colleagues
missed chances he created.
Teams:
Walsall: Walker, Marsh, Roper, Viveash, Padula, Hall, Bennett,
Keates, Matias, Rammell, Fenton (Wrack 85).
Subs Not Used: Robins, Barras, Brightwell, Vlachos.
Booked: Bennett.
Goals: Matias 13.
Portsmouth: Hoult, Waterman (Nightingale 87), Moore, Myers,
Edinburgh, Harper, Thogersen, Awford (Crowe 3), Hughes,
Bradbury, Allen (Whitbread 74).
Subs Not Used: Flahavan, O'Neil.
Booked: Edinburgh, Allen.
Att: 8,151
Ref: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).
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