Walsall ride their luck in win

Northampton Town 0 Walsall 2

Walsall will be hoping football's nasty habit of kicking you in the the teeth doesn't strike immediately, writes Tim Nash.

The Saddlers return to Sixfields for an FA Cup second round tie this Saturday and it's highly probable Northampton will still be seething about a perceived injustice from this game.

More than one Walsall official admitted afterwards that Guy Branston's header was well over the line from Daniel Jones's corner as the Cobblers piled forward in search of an equaliser.

Luckily for Richard Money's side, the referee's assistant said no and the man in black waved play on before Ishmel Demontagnac on the post completed the clearance.

Three minutes later, Mark Hughes powered a header inches wide at the height of Northampton's onslaught.

Within four minutes, substitute Demontagnac had extinguished any lingering hopes from the hosts by making it 2-0 and sealing Walsall's fourth away win of the season.

Demontagnac's excellent finish underlined what a cruel game football can be.

But if Northampton were left rueing their luck, then they also couldn't fail to escape the fact that they were their own worst enemies.

If football is about taking chances, then Stuart Gray's side were given a masterclass in the subject by Walsall.

The Saddlers finished two of their four chief openings with some aplomb, and such was the quality of the moves for the two goals that there was no doubting which side deserved to win.

Because for all Northampton's bluster – they also forced 11 corners – they failed to trouble Clayton Ince into a single serious save.

Indeed, the other main opportunities in the game were crafted by Walsall, and in some style too.

Money's side have looked more at home on their travels this season, but it is debateable whether they have created such a quality opening as the one which presented itself to Michael Ricketts in the 17th minute.

The on-loan striker drilled inches over from 20 yards after Tommy Mooney found Peter Sweeney, who teed up the former England international with a superb pass from which Ricketts didn't have to break stride.

Walsall had good chances of a penalty shout waved aside when Branston appeared to pull down Mooney soon after.

Ricketts wasted another chance seven minutes before the break when keeper Mark Bunn came to the rescue, sliding in to prevent the clean-through striker breaking the deadlock after Daniel Fox's ball over the top left him one against one.

And the on-loan Oldham man also failed to trouble Bunn after the Northampton keeper had spilled Darren Wrack's speculative 35-yarder.

But the burly forward showed why Middlesbrough had once shelled out £3m for his services on the stroke of half-time with a piece of sheer class.

Receiving Wrack's chip, his measured pass for Mark Bradley split the home defence and the youngster finished at the second attempt after his first shot was blocked by Bunn.

Bradley's third goal of the season came at the perfect time for the Saddlers, with no chance of Northampton hitting back so close to the break.

It also completed a landmark week for the teenager, coming four days after he scored and starred in one of Wales' under-21s' most memorable wins as they topped the French 4-2.

Based on this performance, Bradley looks destined for a higher level than League One.

His probing runs proved a constant thorn in the side of Northampton. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't always the player picked out by his team-mates.

But nevertheless his penetration didn't go unnoticed and the directness of his runs certainly put the home side on the back foot.

As his team-mates were keen to testify afterwards, there is nothing wrong with Bradley's 'engine' and few showed more energy on Saturday.

But there is more to the youngster's game than purely lungs and legs.

His pinpoint cross to pick out Demontagnac, delayed just to the right moment, was a peach of a ball, inviting the perfect finish across the keeper.

In fact there was a lovely balance about Walsall's midfield. Playing wide left, debutant Sweeney showed great vision and displayed some lovely touches, not least the crossfield pass to to release Bradley to start the move which led to the winner. He is less direct and definitely more midfielder than winger Demontagnac, but as Money says, he is a worthy option to consider, especially away from home when Walsall are generally going to have to be more patient for their openings.

After keeping back-to-back clean sheets, it wouldn't be fair to dwell on other departments at the expense of the defence.

And on Saturday, the Saddlers back line deserved more than its fair share of credit.

Anthony Gerrard and Scott Dann seemed to be drawn to the ball, they headed that many away against a team who forced countless set-pieces.

It wasn't all plain sailing and Northampton had their half chances, when Andy Holt and Bradley Johnson fired wide and Paul Hubertz and Joe Burnell both drove straight at Ince when well-positioned.

After the break, the Cobblers threatened again when Johnson was inches wide after cutting in from the left, while Hubertz headed wide after for once getting ahead of Gerrard at the near post, before their late aerial onslaught.

But considering how many young players are in Money's team at the moment, they showed maturity beyond their years in coping fairly comfortably with Northampton's threat, which was almost exclusively all in front of them.

Playing like this, Walsall will return to the Banks's Stadium in confident mood.

With three of the next four league games at home against Nottingham Forest, Leeds and Millwall, big tests lie ahead.

But in this sort of form, there is no reason why the Saddlers can't provide the opposition with plenty to think about.

Luck or no luck.