Chesterfield 2-2 Walsall: Saddlers come from two goals down to rescue a point

Former Saddlers striker Will Grigg fired Chesterfield into a 13th-minute lead, before Dilan Markanday profited on an error by Evan Weir to double their lead seven minutes later. 

Daniel Kanu halved the deficit two minutes before the interval and turned provider when substitute Albert Adomah steered his header into the far corner.

That draw, which was the Saddlers' third in a row, saw them drop to seventh, but maintain their four-point cushion over Chesterfield in eighth.

Mat Sadler made four changes as he handed a 'second debut' to new signing Alfie Chang and a first league appearance for Harrison Burke since he suffered a knee injury on October 4.

Walsall headed to Derbyshire off the back of successive goalless stalemates against Accrington Stanley and Crawley Town in the past week. 

And their problems initially deepened when Grigg opened the scoring for the hosts with an opportunistic finish inside just 13 minutes. 

Tom Pearce whipped a fizzing cross to the near post, where Grigg saw his initial effort saved by Myles Roberts, before stabbing home on the rebound. 

Chesterfield stayed on the front-foot and continued to knock on the door for a second, which eventually arrived courtesy of a dreadful error by Weir. 

The Irishman dawdled on the ball inside his own half and was punished when Markanday stole the ball from him to streak away from goal and finish past the onrushing Roberts.

Walsall looked visibly shell shocked as they were outthought and outbattled all over the pitch during a dismal first half display.

But Kanu offered Walsall a route back into a contest when he halved the deficit against the run of play on the cusp of half-time.

Barrett darted down the right and hung an inviting cross into the box which Kanu ruthlessly headed into the roof of the net.

Adomah replaced Matt at the break and made an immediate impact as he peeled out wide and started to create overloads. 

He squared for Kanu to fire wide after a bright run and hauled Walsall level with the equaliser on the hour-mark.

Chesterfield could only head Weir's free-kick high into the air, where Kanu knocked the ball on for Adomah to flick his header into the far corner.

The tables had turned and Walsall came close to taking the lead when Chang stole the ball and slotted through Kanu to flash a powerful effort wide.

38-year-old Adomah continued to roll back the years with a scintillating performance until he was forced to hobble off with a knock during the closing stages. 

Roberts sprung into two crucial saves to deny Chesterfield substitute Lee Bonis twice in quick succession. 

James Berry slotted the ball into his path but Roberts emerged to foil his at his feet before bouncing back up to deny him again. 

Chesterfield kept the pressure on and Bonis sent a low drive towards goal, as Roberts plunged to his left and clawed his effort away.

Aaron Loupalo-Bi was thrown on in the dying embers and dragged a chance wide of the near post in stoppage time.

Next, Walsall travel to the Memorial Stadium to face Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night, before welcoming Barnet to Bescot on Saturday next week.

Teams 

Walsall (3-1-4-2): Roberts; Burke, Flint, Weir; Chang (Lakin 72); Barrett, Pattison, Clarke (Comley 90), Harper; Matt (Adomah 46 - Jellis 82), Kanu (Loupalo-Bi 90).

Not used: Hornby, Farquharson.

Chesterfield (4-2-3-1): Hemming; Curtis, McFadzean, Swinkels, Pearce; Braybrooke (Ladapo 86), Stirk; Markanday (Berry 75), Mandeville (Naylor 75), Duffy (Dobra 66); Grigg (Bonis 66).

Not used: Donacien, Dunkley.

Other Details 

Referee: Charlie Breakspear

Attendance: 8,702 (976)