Analysis of Leeds 1 Walsall 2

These are special nights, these are the nights which make it all worthwhile.

It makes the suffering and frustration disappear, if only until the realisation dawns you have to do it all again on Saturday.

Walsall deserve to bask in the glory of this one, for a while. A win at Leeds – the hosts' first home defeat in the league for over a year – is not something which happens often.

In fact it has never happened to the courageous Saddlers. They had never won at Elland Road before.

But despite their achievement, words of caution resonated from the dressing room.

Too often have they failed to build on good results and should they slip back into their slapdash ways the work will be undone.

The inconsistency which has blighted them this season has failed to shift and the Saddlers have previous.

Two home games, starting with Brentford on Saturday and then Yeovil on Tuesday, must not be passed up if they are to take full advantage of the momentum last night surely brings.

Winning at Leeds is a monumental result given the gap between the clubs but should they fail to build, it suddenly becomes a mere highlight.

But it ended a run which had left them struggling to keep the season alive and the result breathes new life into the stuttering campaign.

And a historic win is also the biggest victory of some fledgling careers.

But they cannot be labelled young pretenders any more. Troy Deeney and Alex Nicholls have played over 100 games, Manny Smith 50 plus, ditto Richard Taundry and Mark Bradley.

Performances like last night shows they are coming of age.

The youthful nature is pointed out to the masses on a regular basis. You cannot claim it is used as an excuse, that does a disservice to the players and management, but it cannot now be trawled out so frequently.

Quietly, the players are fed up of continually being branded as promising youngsters.

Once this season is over they will have up to five years of first team experience, a fact which knocks down any argument of immaturity.

Naturally they are going to make mistakes but every player does – Clayton Ince's gaffe for Gary McSheffrey's equaliser is testament to that – and it is at places like Elland Road where they become men.

And they had to stand up and be counted, especially after Darren Byfield was ruled out through illness.

Smith return to the squad after two weeks out with a thigh injury while Netan Sansara dropped to the bench as Julian Gray made his first start to allow Matt Richards to move to left-back.

And Leeds recalled 24-goal Jermaine Beckford following a two game absence with a hamstring injury.

The hosts opened brightly, with Luciano Becchio firing over, before Deeney ballooned one long ranger wide for the Saddlers.

But Walsall passed the early inspection with flying colours. Stifling their high flying opponents was high on the agenda and Elland Road became increasingly anxious with every minute.

Jason Crowe headed over as Leeds pressed but with their approach play wayward the Saddlers looked comfortable.

Gradually the visitors began to see more of the ball, although lacked any real attacking threat, but Ince did well to beat away Bradley Johnson's effort after neat play by Beckford.

But the Saddlers would have been quietly pleased with their first half efforts as they knocked back whatever was thrown at them.

Richards even had time to curl a free kick just over four minutes before the break, an interval which was met with a chorus of boos from the home fans.

But their reaction did Walsall's performance a disservice as the visitors had gone toe-to-toe with their title chasing hosts.

They just missed an attacking edge. Leeds had only conceded eight goals at home in League One this season so a plethora of chances was always unlikely but the Saddlers needed more drive.

And that message was rammed home in the dressing room because they took the lead within a minute of the re-start.

Darryl Westlake's cross fell to Gray who showed impressive composure to pick out the on-rushing Dwayne Mattis to rifle a splendid volley into the bottom corner from 16-yards.

It was the midfielder's first goal since September and sparked pandemonium on the visitors' bench.

And the biggest compliment one could pay was that it wasn't a shock lead. They fully deserved their advantage but, sadly, it was short lived.

Nine minutes after the visitors had stunned Elland Road the hosts levelled in a moment Ince will want to forget.

With little danger, McSheffrey floated in a left wing cross but the keeper misjudged the flight of the ball and could only scramble back in vain as it hit the net.

Leeds now had their tails up and Ince stooped low to gather Becchio's header as the intensity went up a gear and the Saddlers earned their defensive spurs.

Forays forward were limited to brief breaks but Nicholls tested Casper Ankergren 10 minutes from time and from the resulting corner Walsall regained the lead.

Leeds failed to deal with Gray's flag kick and McDonald rose highest to direct a header goalwards.

It should have been an easy take for Ankergren but the keeper fumbled it over the line to the amazement of Elland Road.

Suddenly the Saddlers were within touching distance of a stunning win. Leeds piled forward but met the dogged resistance which typified Walsall.

They were immovable, refused to buckle and made it their special night.

By Nick Mashiter.