Lowest crowd sees Walsall crash out

The Banks's Stadium witnessed a piece of history for Walsall - but for the wrong reason.

A crowd of 1,793 watched the Saddlers' 2-1 Johnstone's Paint Trophy defeat to Chesterfield, the lowest gate in 20 years at the stadium.

The previous low, if you were wondering, was 1,837 for a 2-0 win over Mansfield in December 1992 in the Autoglass Trophy.

Fast forward 18 years and the same competition attracted an even lower gate, but what can be drawn from it?

The JPT has never been a crowd pleaser - the Wembley final aside - so the attendance has to be taken into context.

If this was a League One game the alarm bells would be ringing, but there was a certain inevitability about the Trophy being the record-breaker.

Glance at the attendances of the first-round games and you'd struggle to find one over 5,000. Charlton, for instance, lost 10,000 fans from their previous home gate.

That said, crowds at the Banks's are lower than last season and don't show any signs of improving.

That has been noted by the top brass and it would be wrong to say it isn't a concern. The club know if they are to progress gates must improve, there is only so long they can survive in their current state with attendances as low as they are.

There have been moves forward in trying to entice the absentees back and more plans are afoot, but there isn't much give from those who remain at home.

Just once it would be nice to forget about the politics and see the stadium bouncing. It'll be a cold day in hell for that to happen, though.

The arguments and counter-claims of why fans are staying away have been well maintained and there is little to add to what has already been said.

But cup runs and performances can be ways of wooing the disaffected punter back. Therefore, it's up to the men on the pitch to provide the talking points and this time they fell well short of praise.

The Saddlers have a devastating ability to look hot and hopeless at the same time. That was no more evident than in a first-half which demonstrated both their attacking prowess and defensive fragility.

Reuben Reid, bubbly in the opening stages, twice tested goalkeeper Tommy Lee and instantly developed a rapport with full debutant Jonathan Macken.

The expectation in the Saddlers' frontline is bigger than it has been for seasons, with Reid and Macken there is more than just pedigree.

All night Reid threatened, epitomised by this thumping equaliser, but was let down by the defence. That was highlighted as, after a bright start, the Saddlers fell behind to a goal of their own creation.

Drew Talbot escaped down the right and was free to cross for Jordan Bowery, whose header wrong-footed Manny Smith on the line and bounced in off the post.

Defensively the lessons hadn't been learned from the disappointing second-half at Brighton on Saturday and for all the attacking riches, the backline is still prone to the odd ricket.

Matt Richards and Craig Davies traded long-range shots before the Saddlers levelled in style on 18 minutes.

Paul Marshall and Julian Gray had stabs at Richard Taundry's centre before Reid showed them how to do it with a bullet volley from 16 yards which arrowed into the top corner.

However, the Saddlers conceded the winner on 32 minutes after another defensive horror show.

They failed to close down the dangerous Dean Morgan who had time to control and advance on the edge of the area.

A couple of tricks later and he ghosted past Darryl Westlake and Taundry to unleash a rasping drive inside goalkeeper Jonny Brain's near post.

There was no individual to blame, collectively it was just poor. If nothing else, the hosts threatened going forward and Reid fizzed a low drive wide but there was the inescapable fact they were suspect at the back.

They escaped again when Westlake cleared Derek Niven's header off the line, after the midfielder rose unchallenged before the break.

Debutant Jamie Paterson replaced Taundry, who had a thigh injury, at half-time but the Saddlers struggled to make an impact as the evening became increasingly scrappy.

Macken bent a 20-yarder wide before Davies almost finished the hosts off, when he capitalised on Smith's miscue but dragged his effort across goal.

There was no doubt Chesterfield should have wrapped up the game on 76 minutes.

Niven's shot was well saved by Brain, but the goalkeeper lost sight of the ball as it came down. Morgan had stolen a march on the Saddlers' defence and arrived unmarked but, despite being just two yards out, he contrived to shoot over.

Walsall almost punished the miss nine minutes from time when Richards' drive cannoned off the inside of the post, but it wasn't to be.

By Nick Mashiter