Walsall 3 Gillingham 2 - Report and pictures

A stoppage time winner from Jason Demetriou saw Walsall secure a stunning 3-2 victory over Gillingham and return to the top of League One.

[gallery]

A Cody McDonald goal and Bradley Dack penalty saw the Gills take a two-goal lead inside half-an-hour.

But quick fire strikes from Kieron Morris and Milan Lalkovic then turned the tie on its head before half-time.

And Demetriou's late winner ensured the soaring Saddlers overtook Justin Edinburgh's men at the top of the table.

Boss Smith made three changes from the side that secured a point in the thrilling 4-4 draw at Colchester.

Neil Etheridge was fit to start to in goal after recovering from a knee injury, while there were also recalls for Rico Henry and Kieron Morris.

It meant Craig MacGillivray, Andy Taylor and Anthony Forde dropped to the bench as the boss plumped for a 4-2-3-1 system.

Gillingham hadn't won at the Banks's Stadium since 1992 but, after a slow start, they hushed the home crowd by taking the lead in the 12th minute.

George Evans was dispossessed in midfield, with one pass from Doug Loft splitting the Saddlers' defence and putting Cody McDonald in on goal, who then coolly slotted past Etheridge.

Smith's side had taken their time to find their rhythm but they came close to getting back on terms mid-way through the half.

Evans danced into the box and delivered a cross which John Egan hacked clear. It seemed Walsall were slowly, but surely taking control of the game.

But they found themselves two goals down on the half hour mark after centre-back Paul Downing got into the Halloween spirit with some horror defending.

Goalkeeper Stuart Nelson's long clearance should have been headed clear by the defender but, instead, Bradley Dack swept in to take the ball into the box.

The Gills attacker thought he had won a penalty with Downing holding his shirt but was then hauled to the floor by the centre-back, with referee Darren Dysdale having no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Dack dusted himself down to covert, sending Etheridge the wrong way. Undeterred, Walsall refused to let their heads drop.

Five minutes later, they got themselves back into the game with a brilliant individual goal from Morris.

The winger picked up the ball on the right-touchline and with little on, cut inside onto his left-foot and rifled a strike into the bottom corner from 25-yards.

Incredibly, the Saddlers then completely turned the game on its head by pulling level just 60 seconds later.

The lively Evans delivered a teasing cross which Milan Lalkovic stabbed home from close range at the second attempt.

The Banks's was now rocking with Smith's side almost taking a half-time lead, when Adam Chambers burst into the box and saw a low cross cleared as Tom Bradshaw waited to pounce.

[related_posts title="More on Walsall"]

Walsall continued to press at the start of the second-half, with Lalkovic brilliantly slipping through Bradshaw who saw a strike expertly blocked by the sliding Harry Lennon.

At the other end, Jermiane McGlashan's left-footed curler from the edge of the box was pushed away by Etheridge.

But the momentum was with the Saddlers and they again came close when Bradshaw saw another strike blocked after he carried the ball into the box.

This time the ball fell to Morris but with the winger fired straight at Stuart Nelson in the Gills goal. Either side of the keeper and Walsall would have been ahead.

Downing looked to make up for his first half error on the hour mark with a fine low drive from 25-yards that needed to be pushed around the post by Nelson.

[comments_cta header="What do you think?" text= "How did you rate the Walsall performance today?" button="Log in and start commenting"]

Excellent link-up play from Romaine Sawyers and Chambers then led to Morris seeing a strike from the edge of the box deflected over the bar.

Edinburgh's side showed they still carried a threat with 20 minutes remaining, when McDonald lashed over from 12-yards after a hopeful ball into the box.

But Walsall again came close with Lalkovic heading wide following Demetriou's whipped in ball. Smith made his first change with 15 minutes to go, Jordan Cook coming on for Lalkovic.

But it was the away side who threatened next with Chambers doing well to hack behind following a spell a pinball in the Saddlers' box.

And from the resultant set-piece, centre-back Egan headed wide.

Walsall made their second change with five minutes to go, Reece Flanagan introduced for Manchester City loanee Evans.

But, with the fourth official indicating three minutes of stoppage time, Walsall won it in dramatic fashion with a brilliant Demetriou strike.

Henry galloped down the left wing and delivered a cross which Cook tried to hook goalwards. But the ball fell to Demetriou who made no mistake by expertly lashing the ball into the roof of the net.