Walsall 3 Bradford City 2 - Report and pictures

In a crunch relegation six-pointer at the Banks's Stadium, the Saddlers looked to have a mountain to climb when top scorer Andy Cook was sent off after just six minutes.

On 12 minutes the visitors took the lead when Eoin Doyle headed in a cross from Jack Payne.

Walsall pulled level just before half-time through Josh Gordon.

And despite all the odds being against them, Joe Edwards then put Keates' side ahead after the interval.

Anthony O'Connor fired the Bantams back on terms in the 53rd minute.

But Walsall were not done with Gordon grabbing his second and his team's third with an outstanding header from a corner.

From that point, Walsall had to dig deep to claim their win. Jon Guthrie made two outstanding blocks.

Liam Roberts made a fantastic stop to keep out a strike from Payne and also got his decision making spot on when it came to claiming - or punching - crosses.

And Dan Scarr got in on the act late on with another great block to help his side secure three huge points.

Overall though, every Walsall player played their part with the team, to a man, putting in an outstanding display to see their team return to winning ways in League One

Analysis

Keates opted to tinker with his shape when naming his starting line-up with the boss opting for a 4-2-3-1 formation for the first time this season.

It was a system that saw Cook operate as the lone frontman with Zeli Ismail in the number 10 role, Matt Jarvis on the left and Gordon on the right. Joe Edwards and Liam Kinsella were the holding midfielders.

Bradford lined up in the same formation with David Ball, Billy Clarke and Jack Payne all behind former Preston striker Doyle.

Both teams entered the game knowing the result could go on to play a huge role in determining what division they would be in next season.

But Walsall's chances of taking anything from the clash were dealt a hammer blow in the sixth minute when Cook was given a straight red card.

The striker went up to contest a header with Knight-Percival with the former Shrewsbury man hitting the deck holding his face.

But while Cook was adamant it was just a coming together, referee Brett Huxtable believed he had spotted an elbow with the 28-year-old given his marching orders.

With a man advantage, the visitors took the lead six minutes later when Payne stood up a cross which Doyle headed in.

Following the sending off, Walsall switched to a 4-4-1 formation with Ismail moving to the right and Gordon the lone forward.

And they did well to restrict Bradford to only half-chances as the half ticked towards the half-hour mark.

Determined to still carry an attacking threat, Keates men had a chance to get back on terms following a surging run from Jarvis down the left.

The former Wolves men then did well to pick out Gordon with a low cross but his strike was well blocked by a defender.

That though was just a sign of things to come with Gordon going on to pull his side level just moments before half-time.

Initially, Edwards did well to burst into the box before then battling to keep the ball alive.

Jarvis then saw a low drive blocked but the ball fell for Gordon who gave the keeper no chance by lashing it into the bottom corner.

Shocked a finding themselves on terms, Bradford almost regained the led in first-half stoppage time when Doyle headed an Adam Chicksen cross wide.

But the Saddlers deserved to go in at the break on terms with Keates' men having defended well and battled resolutely after being reduced to 10-men.

Incredibly, Walsall got themselves in front just two minutes after the re-start after Ismail whipped in an outstanding cross from the right.

Initally, Jarvis headed the delivery against the crossbar, but Edwards was then on hand to nod the ball into the net.

From the moment they fell behind, Bradford began putting the Saddlers under heavy pressure.

And in the 53rd minute, they pulled level after taking a corner quickly.

The ball was worked to Lewis O'Brien who saw a fierce drive from 20-yards beaten away by Liam Roberts.

But the ball fell kindly for O'Connor who was able to slide it in from six-yards.

Bradford thought they had regained the lead on the hour mark only for Jon Guthrie to make an outstanding goal-line block.

After a scramble in the box, Payne's powerful drive from 10-yards looked destined to take the net off.

But Guthrie positioned himself perfectly and with an outstretched leg was able to divert the ball away.

The significance of that block was underlined just a few minutes later when Walsall dug deep again to re-take the lead - with Luke Leahy sending in a corner which Gordon brilliantly headed past Richard O'Donnell and into the net.

Bradford responded with Clarke hitting a low drive from 20-yards which a diving Roberts did well to tip away.

From that point, the effort Walsall put in to keep the ball out the net had to be seen to believed.

A right-wing cross was met by Doyle whose header was again blocked by the imperious Guthrie.

Payne then danced his way through only for the former Southend men to be denied by Roberts who made an outstanding stop to keep out his close range strike.

With Walsall's legs tiring, Bradford continued to fly forward.

Payne again tricked his way into the box before seeing a shot blocked by Scarr.

Adam Chicksen then flashed a shot across the face of goal with the effort getting the slightest of deflections to sail past the past.

And in stoppage time, Knight-Percival headed a free-kick over the bar.

Walsall though thoroughly deserved the points, with every single Saddlers player putting in an outstanding performance.

Teams

Walsall: Roberts, Leahy, Guthrie, Scarr, Devlin, Kinsella, Edwards, Jarvis (Dobson 87), Gordon (Oteh 83), Ismail (Osbourne 79), Cook.

Subs not used: Dunn, Fitzwater, Laird, Blackett-Taylor.

Bradford: O'Donnell, Chicksen, O'Connor, Doyle, Payne, Butterfield, Clarke (Anderson 72), Knight-Percival, Caddis (Mellor 85), O'Brien (Miller 85), Ball.

Subs: Wilson, Akpan, Wood.

Referee: Brett Huxtable (Devon)