Walsall 2 Southend United 2

Pre match teamnews caught the eye with Mitchell Cole and Mark Bentley deemed unfit to feature in the squad whilst they were replaced by Jay Smith and former Manchester City man Shaun Goater. It was certainly a great sight to see Jay Smith warming up with the team, after all it has been eighteen months since he featured in the first team.

Smithy finnally returned to action

One of the characteristics of the midweek win was a good defensive performance where the home side were given as little space as possible. However just four minutes into the encounter it became apparent that the defensive performance was not to be as assuring. Walsall’s successful strike partnership linked up to produce a fierce driving shot from the boots of Matty Fryatt. Fryatt’s shot was too hot to handle for keeper Flahavan who parried the ball out as far as dangerous forward Jorge Leitao. Leitao’s rebound also found the target as he forced Flahavan into a superb tip wide of the post. It was certainly a sign of things to come as Flahavan foiled Leitao for the first time in the afternoon.

In fact it was only minutes later that Leitao again tested Flahavan with a long range shot that was easily kept out by the Blues stopper. However the pressure in the opening quarter was relentless from the Saddlers and when Kris Taylor whipped in a sixteen-minute corner Andy Edwards came to the rescue. Thankfully Eagle was present to clear off the line after Darren Wrack had directed the ball goalwards after the ball had auspiciously came off of Duncan Jupp’s hand.

Despite this pressure the Shrimpers eventually came good and tried their uptmost to play good football in all parts of the pitch. Mark Gower, who again was clearly unfit, showed glimpses of his former self including one shot that was blocked by Craig Pead despite that being the nearest the Shrimpers went to testing goalkeeper Andy Oakes. This was despite the fact that the ball was incredibly well kept by the Southend midfield and attack leading to the travelling Shrimpers’ oleing each pass.

The half seemed to be coming to a disappointing end although Walsall tried a couple of ambitious efforts to go into the dressing room one goal up. The left foot of Daniel Fox and the right foot of Julian Bennett both struck the ball well without ever worrying Darryl Flahavan's goal.

The next fifteen minutes was full of exciting end to end football as Walsall looked for an equaliser and Southend to extend a lead. The first chance of the intriguing period of play came when a far post ball was played into Walsall winger Wrack although the best he could do was to send his half volley into the side netting. Former England Under 19 striker Matty Fryatt also seemed determined not to be beaten and continued to shoot at every opportunity despite failing to get past Flavs.

The Blues were not going to sit on a one goal lead and when Maher drifted in a characteristically good freekick Freddy Eastwood was disappointed not to have won a corner after his effort seemed to be blocked by Chris Westwood. However Eastwood’s main contribution came when he received the ball with his back to goal from Mark Gower. Eastwood done brilliantly to turn Westwood but when he tried to finish he powered the ball wide. It was another unfortunate turn of luck for Eastwood who is still to get off the mark at the start of this season.

However Eastwood’s miss really turned the game on it’s head. Southend fan’s seemed dumbstruck at the miss whilst the Saddlers player’s and follower’s used it as a springboard to attack the Southend goal. Unsurprisingly there were less that five minutes between Eastwood’s miss and Walsall’s first goal.

However the setbacks did not stop the Shrimpers from attacking the home side. Eastwood, who was desperate for a goal, had two chances as he linked up with Gray and Gower respectively to send wide of Oakes’ right hand post. The second of the chances Eastwood could have composed and used his left foot yet a rash Freddy poked an effort with his right foot.

As the clock ticked down there were to be only a few throws of the dice left. Tilson had earlier thrown on Goater for his debut and Smith for his comeback since injury. Strangely the two players, who probably had never met eachother ten days ago, linked up fabulously and with many of Southend’s other attacking assets proved to be a danger for the Walsall defence.

The Goat celebrated again. This time in a slightly darker shade of blue

As some fans began to leave it was one of Southend’s long term attacking assets that unlocked the Walsall defence. The accurate right foot of Kevin Maher planted a cross onto Goater’s head who send the ball into the net. Pure joy behind the goal as the travelling army saw the Goat strike on his first appearance for the Shrimpers. Sentiment can also be felt for Maher as the first player to ‘feed the Goat!’ (2-2)

Although most thought the game was up, the topsy turvy encounter continued to provide excitement. As in the last minute the Southend defence were caught napping and Leitao headed powerfully towards goal. Yet his nemesis for the best part of the game Darryl Flahavan produced a contender for save of the season as he threw himself to the right of the goal proving once again what a great shotstopper he is.

Southend defended just a two more corners before they could safely leave the Midlands with a good draw and one point. Southend became the first side to take any points of Walsall.