Walsall kept alive their hopes of avoiding relegation from the first division
and dented Manchester City's automatic promotion hopes with this draw at Bescot
Stadium.
City, the highest scorers in the land with 74 league goals, were expected to
bury the Saddlers who had two key defenders out through suspension and two more
sidelined with injuries.
But the home side showed tremendous character in competing for every ball and
in the end they earned their point.
City were clearly the superior side in skill terms and had much the better
chances to break the deadlock. But their finishing, usually so lethal, was
disappointing.
In fact Walsall threatened first when Fitzroy Simpson, a former City player,
let fly from 30 yards and the ball rebounded off keeper Nicky Weaver before
being smashed out of play.
But City began to find space with Danny Tiatto running from deep and Eyal
Berkovic using the ball superbly in midfield.
Five minutes later City could have scored, Berkovic putting Shaun Goater clear
but home keeper James Walker saved with his feet.
A minute after that Tiatto saw his close range drive smothered by Walker and
in the 24th minute 28-goal Goater, clean through from Darren Huckerby's pass,
stroked his shot wide as the keeper came out.
Just before half time Marcelo shot wide from Simpson's pass in a Walsall
counter raid and early in the second half, with City powering forward, Tiatto
volleyed wide from a corner.
Walsall hung in there, though, and in the 71st minute a dangerous corner from
Steve Corica caused a desperate scramble on the City goal line before the ball
was scrambled away.
With 12 minutes left Walsall almost pinched it from a Freddy Biancalani cross,
but Weaver managed to block Corica's fierce shot.
But City had the last word and almost won it in stoppage time, but Walker
pulled off a remarkable point blank save to deny Kevin Horlock.
Teams:
Walsall: Walker, Shields, Roper, Barras, Biancalani, Corica, Simpson, O'Connor (Bennett 62), Wrack, Marcelo,
Leitao (Byfield 88).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Matias, Keates.
Man City: Weaver, Dunne, Howey, Pearce, Jensen, Berkovic,
Tiatto, Horlock, Wright-Phillips, Huckerby (Killen 79), Goater.
Subs Not Used: Nash, Ritchie, Edghill, Wiekens.
Att: 7,618
Ref: D Crick (Worcester Park).
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