Last-gasp winner secures win as Walsall Wood target top six

A man of the match performance by Wood keeper Raajan Gill had kept them in the game until the deadlock was broken in the dying seconds, to move them back up to ninth place.

But Carns got the goal that mattered, just two minutes after coming on to the field. He met Joey Butlin's free-kick to force the ball home.

Gill was in the thick of the action after just eight minutes, somehow keeping out a powerful header from Kirby Muxloe's Sam Wilson.

He made a stunning save to keep the scores level later in the first half to defy Brett Darby.

Corey Currithers had gone closest for Wood just second before, but his rising drive was held by Kirby keeper Elliott Shilliam.

The last action of the half came on 42 minutes, Butlin going through three tackles as he powered along the byeline but he was crowded out before he could get a shot away.

Stuart Verrall replaced the injured Shilliam in the home goal at the break, he was called into action after just five minutes, when Harry Harris tested him with a first-time effort, the keeper saving with his feet.

In virtually their first attack of the half the home side almost went ahead, a mistake wide right let in Luis Cabral, his far post cross headed back across goal and out of play by Mark Schultz.

Another Wood mistake eight minutes later let in Michael Reeve, but as Gill came to meet him he fired high over the crossbar.

Back came Wood, and Craig Deakin played the ball inside to Butlin, his neat touch to his left was intercepted by Nathan McIntosh to deny Currithers.

Wood put the home defence under pressure on 81 minutes, forcing two corners in succession but the home side defended desperately with the ball somehow staying out.

With four minutes left, Darby played a lovely ball to Cabral on the right of the box. His clever through ball was hit first-time by David Wesseldine, but Gill pushed the ball over the bar for a corner that was easily cleared.

This set up Carns to claim the points.

The game started with a bang, the ball was touched to Michael Reeve from the kick off and he raced down the right, made it into the Wood box, but under pressure fired wide. On 7 minutes a long clearance by Nathan McIntosh found Brett Darby on the left edge of the Wood box, he drifted across the face of the box but fired well wide. A minute later from a right wing corner Sam Wilson powered in a header, Wood keeper Raajan Gill somehow keeping the ball out, Corey Currithers completed the clearance.

Wood's first goal attempt came on 11 minutes, Harry Harris winning the ball in the centre and finding Andre Gonzales wide right, his ball inside was hit first time by Joey Butlin but was blocked by Elliott Pacey. 21 minutes gone Danny Rock crossed from wide on the left, the ball was only half cleared to Jamie Hawkins who from 25 yards hit a first time effort whistling inches wide. 4 minutes later a crossfield ball from Harris wide right was hit first time wide by Rock. 3 minutes later Hawkins won a header in the centre and found Max Black, he raced for goal but his diagonal ball across the box was inches ahead of Currithers. 26 minutes gone and neat interplay wide left by Hawkins and Currithers saw the ball played inside for Butlin to fire just wide.

On 32 minutes a right wing free kick was delivered to the far post, Gill just touching the ball away from Reeve with Black calmly completing the clearance.

Wood carved open the home defence on 36 minutes, Rock found Currithers from a left wing free kick, he cut inside and set up Butlin whose rising drive was well held by keeper Elliott Shilliam. The ball was played straight to the other end, Darby racing onto a ball in the centre of the box, Gill making a stunning save to keep the score level.

The last action of the half came on 42 minutes, Butlin going through 3 tackles as he powered along the byeline from the left before being crowded out, before he could get a shot away.

Stuart Verrall replaced the injured Shilliam in the home goal at the break, he was called into action after just 5 minutes, a central free kick fell to Harris, his first time effort saved by Verrall with his feet. 7 minutes later a central free kick 35 yards out was fired over the wall by Butlin, Verrall making a good save.

In virtually their first attack of the half the home side almost went ahead, a mistake wide right let in Luis Cabral, his far post cross headed back across goal and out of play by Mark Schultz. Another mistake 8 minutes later let in Reeve, who raced for goal but as Gill came to meet him he fired high over the advancing custodian and the bar.

Back came Wood, 2 minutes later Craig Deakin played the ball inside to Butlin, his neat touch to his left was intercepted by McIntosh to deny Currithers.

On 79 minutes Wilson released Darby into the right of the box, Gill again to the rescue with a brave full length save.

Wood put the home defence under pressure on 81 minutes, forcing 2 corners in succession but the home side defended desperately with the ball somehow staying out.

With 86 minutes gone Darby played a lovely ball to Cabral on the right of the box, his clever little through ball was hit first time by David Wesseldine, Gill making a stunning save to psuh the ball over the bar for a corner that was easily cleared.

A minute from the end Butlin fired in a free kick from wide on the right, David Carns (only on the field 2 minutes) forced the ball home, to give Wood 3 very lucky points.

At the end of the day it was a win for Wood, they will play much better than this and lose, but probably Gill's best ever performance for Wood kept them in the game until up popped "Combat Dave to steal the 3 points in the dying seconds.