Analysis of Walsall 2 Brentford 2

Patience will clearly be the key to watching Walsall this season and the message coming out of the Saddlers camp is 'bear with us' after drawing with Brentford.

Saturday's display screamed 'work in progress' as they have sucker punch skills in stunning Brentford with two first-half goals inside a minute.

Defensive frailties were also evident in conceding two goals late on but a draw was probably a fair result, given Brentford's input into the game.

And taking a point from the Bees should be applauded, given the money their manager Uwe Rosler has been able to splash on bringing players in.

While this was no Queens Park Rangers, who conquered the Saddlers' 3-0 in the Capital One Cup last Tuesday, ironically after Walsall had dumped Brentford out of the competition in the last round.

This time, Rosler's men could call upon young Premier League loanees Tom Adeyami and Jake Bidwell, in from Norwich and Everton respectively, not to mention goalscorer Paul Hayes and talented left-back Scott Barron.

They were all on the bench while, in the Walsall dugout, four of the seven substitutes were youth products, not to mention the three in the starting line-up.

The Saddlers can't compete financially and they know they can't, boss Dean Smith accepts it and is determined to prove potential will find a way in a radical move forward for the club.

In another learning curve on Saturday, their quick-fire lead was wiped out by two late Brentford goals as the visitors nabbed a draw at the Banks's Stadium in League One.

Swift Saddlers goals from Jamie Paterson and George Bowerman respectively were answered by strikes from Jonathan Douglas and Clayton Donaldson inside the last four minutes for the Bees.

Smith's men were left to rue luck that had looked to be going their way after an early Brentford onslaught, which ended up playing into the hosts' hands.

First to threaten were the Saddlers on seven minutes and it was the already-impressive midfielder Florent Cuvelier, who had previously contributed with a couple of nice touches, who let fly.

The on-loan Stoke midfielder pounced on to a free ball outside the 'D' and rattled the crossbar with a fierce shot, which was on its way in until goalkeeper Simon Moore tipped it onto the woodwork.

It took Brentford 12 minutes to respond but they went close twice in succession, first when Donaldson headed over Shaleum Logan's cross.

Less than 60 seconds later, Toumani Diagouraga made a complete hash of a volley that rolled into goalkeeper David Grof's hands but it was Walsall captain Andy Butler to the rescue six minutes later.

Butler had to hack a difficult ball off the line and wide of the goal, after Sam Saunders had been allowed space to pick his spot.

The Saddlers absorbed the pressure and, as is becoming their way, had the threat down the flanks to race down the other end and put the visitors in trouble on the left 28 minutes in.

Andy Taylor and Ashley Hemmings combined for the latter to stroke the ball across the turf to Jamie Paterson, who guided his shot away from Moore and into the far corner.

Within a minute, it was 2-0 to Walsall, Brentford defender Tony Craig unfortunate as George Bowerman's tame shot rolled down his back and into the path of the striker.

Before Craig could turn around, Bowerman was off and drawing Moore from his line, going for the goalkeeper's right as he slotted home from the centre of the box.

Walsall could have even been 3-0 up before half-time, Will Grigg's shot hitting the base of the near post from Ben Purkiss' ball, after him and Paterson combined three minutes before the break.

After the break, Grigg again threatened by firing wide when well placed and saw another promising opportunity ran off by defender Harlee Dean as he worked hard to find openings.

Brentford threw on Hayes to partner Donaldson in the 65th minute and reverted to 4-4-2 as they started to run out of ideas against the solid Saddlers, who were in command at that point.

It was Farid El Aalagui's turn to rattle the crossbar five minutes later, played in by impressive Brentford substitute Adam Forshaw, who had replaced Toumani Diagouraga after just 34 minutes.

All three substitutes were used by Brentford in the end as Bidwell joined the fray and they got the breakthrough to set up a tense finale with four minutes left.

Grof lived to regret punching a ball into the box out under pressure but only as far as Jonathan Douglas, who fired over the shot-stopper and Butler as it went into the net.

Saddlers boss Dean Smith is adamant his goalkeeper was fouled as he punched the ball out, as a ruck of players from both sides descended on the custodian to challenge for the ball.

Walsall tried to shut up shop, defender Paul Downing was slung on for Paterson after Aaron Williams had already came on for Bowerman.

But they couldn't hold out and suffered a last minute leveller, Donaldson on hand to slot home El Aalagui's knock on past the despairing reach of Grof at close range as the ball ran free.

It could have been worse, Forshaw wrapping his foot round a low drive that cannoned off an unmarked and clean through Hayes in stoppage time that could have made a bad situation worse.

Maybe it's a testament to Walsall that they were left disappointed with a draw, it's a game they could easily have lost in seasons past. See, there's already progress from their work.

By Craig Birch