Walsall 1 Notts County 1 - match report
Walsall were held to a scrappy draw by Notts County as the Saddlers' winning run was ended.
Will Grigg's penalty was cancelled out by Joann Arquin's second-half equaliser while Alan Judge missed County's other openings.
The result checked the Saddlers momentum to drop them to 10th in League One.
James Chambers replaced the injured Ben Purkiss while Craig Westcarr returned against his former club for James Baxendale.
The Saddlers almost struck first in a low-key start when Andre Boucard gave the ball away to Jamie Paterson who advanced and fed the ball to Grigg but when the striker rounded Bartosz Bialkowski Judge scrambled back to clear off the line.
But it was the only action of a scrappy opening which neither side edged.
The Saddlers were winning the midfield battle though and they made the breakthrough on 29 minutes.
Sam Mantom's superb ball caught the County defence napping to send Paterson clear and when the ball held up on the sticky turf he was clattered by Bialkowski for a penalty.
The game was held up after the visiting fans through a flare onto the pitch but Grigg kept his composure to send Bialkowski the wrong way.
It gave the Saddlers the base they needed and Paterson began to run the show with Febian Brandy also forcing a smart save from Bialkowski.
Grigg ballooned a shot over from 18-yards as Walsall chased a second but they always held a degree of comfort.
But the Saddlers survived a scare 10 minutes after the break when James Chambers' poor backpass was seized on by Arquin, whose drive was saved by Ian McLoughlin and Judge steered the rebound wide.
Three minutes later Judge should have levelled after Alan Sheehan's free kick fell to him but he ballooned his eight-yard volley over.
Westcarr's effort was blocked – after more fine work from Paterson – but County had upped their game and scored on 65 minutes.
Jamal Campbell-Ryce launched a deep cross and Arquin wriggled goal-side of Paul Downing to fire past McLoughlin.
George Bowerman replaced Westcarr with 15 minutes later and seconds later the Saddlers' penalty claims were turned down after Brandy tumbled in the area.
Paterson scuffed wide from 20-yards on 83 minutes and Arquin headed over two minutes later with the game increasingly stretched.
And Arquin should have won it with three minutes left when he headed Sheehan's free kick wide from two yards
