Brighton 1 Walsall 1

There must be something in the sea air that brings out the dogged best in Walsall, writes Steve Madeley.

Richard Money’s side ground it out by the coast at Hartlepool and stole a point from Bournemouth.

Last night, most spectacularly of all, they floored Brighton with the ultimate sucker punch after taking a pounding squarely on the chin.

Ishmel Demontagnac enjoyed himself more than most by the seaside as he lashed home a brilliant equaliser to ensure Money’s men left a chilly Withdean Stadium with their unbeaten away record standing at six matches.

With a new wave of young talent making such a mark at The Banks’s Stadium, Demontagnac – a ‘veteran’ of two seasons – was in danger of slipping out of the limelight.

Not any more. With one magnificent swish of his left boot the 19-year-old reminded Saddlers fans that he, more than any of the other talented teens breaking through, has the talent and imagination to change a game single-handedly.

Read the full report in the Express & Star.

Brighton 1 Walsall 1

There must be something in the sea air that brings out the dogged best in Walsall, writes Steve Madeley.

Richard Money’s side ground it out by the coast at Hartlepool and stole a point from Bournemouth.

Last night, most spectacularly of all, they floored Brighton with the ultimate sucker punch after taking a pounding squarely on the chin.

Ishmel Demontagnac enjoyed himself more than most by the seaside as he lashed home a brilliant equaliser to ensure Money’s men left a chilly Withdean Stadium with their unbeaten away record standing at six matches.

With a new wave of young talent making such a mark at The Banks’s Stadium, Demontagnac – a ‘veteran’ of two seasons – was in danger of slipping out of the limelight.

Not any more. With one magnificent swish of his left boot the 19-year-old reminded Saddlers fans that he, more than any of the other talented teens breaking through, has the talent and imagination to change a game single-handedly.

He could so easily have won the game for his side with another moment of inspiration just three minutes after he struck to draw his side level.

But that would have been the ultimate slap in the face for a Brighton side who bossed the game for most of the night – albeit against a Saddlers defence in a stubborn mood.

In light of the evening’s events Money and his players were more than happy with just one piece of magic from the young substitute who stepped off the bench to add a spot of style to the tonnes of substance that had gone before.

Walsall’s fans are used by now to last-gasp drama and late joy.

Goals at the death became such a feature of their League Two title win last season that only the bravest or most foolish supporter dared leave a finely-poised game before the final whistle.

Defeats turned to draws and draws turned to wins in the dying minutes literally made the difference between winning the league and just scraping into the play-offs.

And while the personnel might have undergone a radical overhaul during the summer, it is now clear that Money’s second Saddlers team has inherited the resilience of his first.

They needed every ounce of it in Sussex last night against a Seagulls side in red-hot form and sniffing a place in the division’s top six when the action began at their charmless temporary home.

The home side were on top from the off and the only surprise by half-time was that Jake Robinson’s 35th-minute far-post strike was all they had to show for their clear territorial advantage.

The tone was set from the opening moments, during which Robinson’s cross found the excellent Nicky Forster, whose shot on the turn was deflected behind off defender Daniel Fox.

David Martot lobbed onto the roof of the net after Darren Wrack and Edrissa Sonko contrived to lose possession wide on the right and the visitors struggled to stem the flow of home attacks.

What they did well in the most-part, however, was defend their goal with determination and goalkeeper Clayton Ince made the first of his many interventions when he blocked a header from Bas Savage after a run and cross by Martot.

Everyone played their part and Michael Ricketts was the unlikely man to scramble away the next slice of danger after a dangerous cross.

And Scott Dann used his strength to useful effect to nudge Robinson off the ball as he bore down on goal following a casual ball by Daniel Fox that handed the home side easy possession.

Brighton were in full flow and high on confidence while the Saddlers, for all their defensive bloody-mindedness, were creating some of their own problems by failing to keep hold of the ball.

The relentless pressure was always likely to cause a lapse and so it came to pass 10 minutes before half-time.

Martot burst down the left and got the better of Rhys Weston and when he crossed to the far-post Robinson caught Fox napping to slide in and scramble the ball home.

The Saddlers had been under the kosh until falling behind, but they did at least try their luck at goal in the closing stages of the half with skipper Tommy Mooney twice trying to test keeper Michel Kuipers.

However, the Dutchman was not stretched as Mooney’s first effort flew over from a Paul Hall knock-down and his second ran wide after a half-hearted clearance.

Brighton were in no mood to let the mini-resurgence continue and they began the second half looking determined to put their opponents away in the early stages.

Forster charged down a poor clearance from Ince and it was only through good fortune that it bounced for Anthony Gerrard to clear.

Tommy Elphick headed straight at the Saddlers keeper from a George O’Callaghan cross when he should have done better and a Martot shot on the turn was saved by Ince.

Martot missed a much better chance when he fired wide with just Ince to beat after a fine run by Forster, Robinson brought a smart block from the big Trinidadian and Savage headed at Ince.

The Seagulls had been in charge once more, but as Walsall hung in the game the home side began to show a few nerves.

They were well founded as the 145 travelling fans, who had seen much to admire from their team, were given something to excite too from second-half substitute Demontagnac.

Ricketts did well to hustle Andrew Whing and win possession and from then on it was all about Demontagnac, who ran across the area before cutting back onto his left foot, which he used to direct an unstoppable 25-yard shot over Kuipers and into the top corner.

He tried it again from a similar distance moments later, this time with his right boot, but Kuipers had learned his lesson and scrambled back to tip it over the bar.

It was of little consequence to the moods of the teams.

Brighton felt like they had lost while Walsall’s fans were elated, despite being so far from the pitch behind the top bend of the running track that they might as well have watched from the pier three miles away.

Money convened his latest impromptu huddle at the final whistle and the faces of his players told their own story.

It was another significant step in the growing up of his impressive young side.