The Saddlers saw a two-goal lead evaporate at the hands of Bradford City who came from behind to claim all three points deal a huge blow Walsall’s play-off hopes.
The hosts raced into a two goal lead with goals from Ryan Stirk and Mo Faal but the Bantams turned the game on its head as Jamie Walker scored a brace after Andy Cook started the comeback with their first.
Walker had an eventful afternoon as he was sent off in the 68 minute but despite throwing all they could, the Saddlers couldn’t find a third goal.
Mat Sadler made two changes to the team that started against Swindon Town on Tuesday night.
Brandon Comley was restored to the starting XI after serving a suspension in midweek while Jackson Smith returned in goal after missing the last three outings through concussion.
The Saddlers got off to the perfect start and took the lead after just seven minutes when Isaac Hutchinson, after a lung-busting run, found Stirk in the box who controlled it beautifully before striking past Sam Walker.
It got better for the hosts on 16 minutes when Faal pounced on hesitant Bradford defending to nod the ball past S. Walker and into the net.
Bradford responded after the second and pulled one back just three minutes later when Cook met Jamie Walker’s cross and headed the Bantams back into it.
The Saddlers went in search of a third and came agonisingly close when Hutchinson cut across the ball as he struck it but his effort bounced off the post and was eventually cleared.
Bradford grew into the game and completed the comeback on 40 minutes when Richie Smallwood’s free-kick was headed across by Cook and J. Walker was there to nod home from close range and the two teams went into the half time interview level.
The visitors carried their momentum into the second half and got their noses in front on 53 minutes when Cook’s header was blocked on the line by Allen but J. Walker converted on the rebound to complete the turnaround for the Bantams.
Sadler reacted to the third goal and made a triple substitution as Jamille Matt, Tom Knowles and Ross Tierney all entered the fray in place of Josh Gordon, Joe Foulkes and Comley.
Two of those subs combined as Tierney played a lovely ball through to Matt on 65 minutes and he looked like he had a clean run on goal and he was set to pull the trigger, Ciaran Kelly came sliding in with a fantastic tackle to take the ball away from him.
A huge moment came in the 68th minute when J. Walker went from hero to zero as he picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Tierney.
Sadler also introduced Danny Johnson and Douglas James-Taylor to add more firepower as the Saddlers searched for an equaliser.
The Saddlers came almighty close equalizing on 88 minutes when Knowles’ cross ends up hitting the inside of the post and flashed across the face of goal and was scrambled off the line by S. Walker to save the Bantams.
Walsall threw everything to get a goal and kept coming forward as the game ticked into added time.
Knowles tried his luck with a curled strike but S. Walker made a fantastic save to push the ball behind.
Smith; Foulkes (Knowles 59’), Okagbue (James-Taylor 79’), Daniels, Allen, L. Gordon; Hutchinson, Comley (Tierney 59’), Stirk; Faal (Johnson 74’), J. Gordon (Matt 59’)
Subs: Evans (GK), Farquharson
