Walsall analysis: Saddlers hit back in style

His team responded with their best performance of the season so far.

It was a relatively even contest in the opening 15 minutes. Sadler had made four changes from the defeat against Wimbledon – switching to a back-four with teenager Harry Williams partnering Donervon Daniels.

Elsewhere, Aramide Oteh came in down the right, Ross Tierney was restored to the starting XI, and Joe Riley started at right-back.

Freddie Draper led the line, and gave Bradford defenders Sam Stubbs and Matt Platt a torrid time.

He cushioned the ball down on a couple of occasions inside the opening 10 minutes, before driving forward with a dangerous burst of pace.

Although neither occasion led to a clear-cut chance, it was a sign of Walsall’s attacking intentions.

The hosts had the best chance of the opening exchanges when Platt glanced his header wide.

And it was Bradford who drew first blood as Walsall fell behind for the fourth consecutive game.

It actually stemmed from a Walsall free-kick in a dangerous position. Tierney’s delivery was cleared and Rayhaan Tulloch immediately recycled the ball to Jamie Walker.

Tulloch then latched onto a through ball from Walker, before going down under a challenge from Riley.

The foul appeared to take place outside the box, although the referee adjudged it to have been inside, and pointed straight to the spot.

Former Saddlers forward Andy Cook stepped up to the spot and left Owen Evans completely powerless as he rifled the ball into the net from 12 yards.

Sadler bemoaned last week that Walsall needed to stop falling behind, and leaving themselves with a mountain to climb.

Yet with 22 minutes on the clock, they needed to climb, and that is exactly what they did.

Within three minutes of falling behind, the Saddlers were back on level terms.

Walsall constructed a tidy passing move, and Bradford allowed Liam Gordon to saunter inside completely unchallenged to find the bottom corner with his weaker foot from range.

Gordon’s first goal in 11 months gave the Saddlers a spring in their step as they galloped forward dangerously.

Draper was involved once again after he latched onto a loose pass from Kevin McDonald.

He found Hutchinson, who cut inside and unleashed a delicious bending effort, which whistled narrowly wide of the right-hand top corner.

Williams was immense for Walsall and kept Cook quiet in open play. He stuck out an important leg to thwart Tulloch, before producing a crucial interception to prevent Cook from reaching Brad Halliday’s low cross.

Daniels headed a fine ball from Ryan Stirk into the side netting from an acute angle, and Walsall found themselves ahead at the break courtesy of Oteh.

Tierney delivered a sweet corner into the box, which was flicked on at the near post by Hutchinson.

The ball ricocheted kindly for Oteh, who was quickest to react inside the box, and helped bundle the ball over the line.

Walsall started the second half strongly and doubled their advantage 11 minutes after the restart.

Tierney delivered yet another delicious corner into the danger area. Harry Lewis came to claim but Draper climbed highest to send his header beyond the Bradford goalkeeper.

Draper has scored in back-to-back games, and is the Saddlers’ leading scorer with four goals.

Tierney almost capped an impressive individual display with a goal himself. His cross-cum-shot spun dangerously towards the target and fell agonisingly wide of the right hand corner.

Walsall still needed to be wary of the hosts, and defended well when required.

Cook volleyed a corner towards goal at the near post. Tulloch got in the way of his effort, and his attempt to flick the ball over the line was blocked by Riley.

In the final 20 minutes, Gordon was caught in possession by Tulloch, who immediately squared to Cook inside the box.

Williams was alert to the danger and shifted across to divert his effort behind with another super block.

Draper was forced off with a knock in the final 15 minutes and was replaced by Jamille Matt.

Sadler is hopeful that the Lincoln loanee will still be available for the midweek clash against MK Dons at Bescot.

Walsall had a prime opportunity to add a fourth on the counter-attack in the dying stages.

Substitute Tom Knowles broke down the right and found Hutchinson peeling away from his marker in the opposing half.

Halliday made up the ground and produced a last ditch challenge to foil Hutchinson at the decisive moment.

The Saddlers registered a third win in five games to climb into 13th place with 14 points from the opening 10 games.