Brentford's winning streak over as Walsall earn draw - analysis and match highlights

On the day last season's top scorer Will Grigg made his return to the Banks's with Brentford, it was the Saddlers' current top marksman Craig Westcarr who stole the headlines, heading home on the stroke of half-time for his 11th goal of the season.

It was a strike which cancelled out Clayton Donaldson's 30th-minute opener and one which earned the hosts a point, albeit after a second half where they came close to grabbing all three in a frankly thrilling game.

It also ended Brentford's eight-game winning league run, denied them a club record and knocked them off the top of League One. A result which, once again, confirmed the Saddlers as the side none of the division's top dogs want to face.

• Walsall 1 Brentford 1 - match report and pictures

Dean Smith's team, it is worth remembering, became the first side to take points off new leaders Leyton Orient this season after they had won the first eight games and their record against the top six – a 3-0 home defeat to Preston aside – is generally excellent.

In the short-term, Saturday's result saw the Saddlers fall out of the play-off places but there were enough signs to suggest they will be back there sooner rather than later.

With 19 games to go, they have worked their way into an excellent position.

It's going to be an exciting few months.

Grigg's contribution to the day ended when he was replaced by Chuba Akpom on 68 minutes, having been booed throughout by a considerable portion of the Banks's Stadium faithful in his first start for the Bees since Boxing Day.

The current league table suggests there was plenty of sense in his decision to move last summer but perhaps deep down there may be a twinge of regret he is no longer leading the Saddlers line.

That honour now belongs to Westcarr, along with a supporting cast unrecognisable from the one which backed up Grigg 12 months ago, with the exception of the returned Febian Brandy.

Twelve months ago, Westcarr was deemed surplus to requirements by League Two Chesterfield but is now well on target to record his best-ever season's goal tally.

Equalling Grigg's 20-goal haul from last season is certainly not out of the question.

On Saturday he took his goal well and came close to winning the game in the final 10 minutes when he fired over on the half-volley.

But it is his all-round game which catches the eye most and particularly his ability to bring other players into the game.

Already there are signs he and Brandy are rekindling the understanding of late last season and while left-back Andy Taylor would appear to be the next player in line to be offered a fresh contract, you would imagine Westcarr shouldn't be far behind.

Brandy, too, showed glimpses of why Smith was so keen to bring him back and could have produced a match-defining moment had referee Scott Duncan pointed to the spot when he tumbled under a challenge from Tony Craig just before the hour mark.

On the opposite flank, Milan Lalkovic was simply excellent, gaining an assist for the goal and proving a handful for the visiting defenders all day.

Romaine Sawyers was perhaps the least impressive of the forward line but still managed to bring a superb save out of Brentford keeper David Button who tipped over his vicious drive.

What the Saddlers lack, as has been pointed out many times before, is a natural finisher like the Bees' Clayton Donaldson, who had one chance all game and grasped it.

Smith has made enquiries about bringing in another forward and, if he can find the missing piece by the end of next week, the possibilities seem endless.

One area his side are undoubtedly set fair in is the middle of the park because more than anything else Saturday's was a performance built on the backs of Sam Mantom and Adam Chambers.

Mantom is developing into an excellent player and his passing during the second half in particular was eye-catching.

Chambers, meanwhile, was nothing short of immense and gave his side the base from which they attacked the visitors. Seemingly always in the right place to make an interception or vital challenge, he also impressed in the final third and provided the cross from which the Saddlers scored too.

Credit should also go to young left-back Mal Benning, who got his longest run-out in over four months after coming on for Taylor midway through the first half. He handled Donaldson with admirable composure and also provided a threat in attack, though the less said about his overhead kick the better.

Above all else, this was a thoroughly absorbing and entertaining game between two sides who like to play football the correct way.

Not for the first time this season and almost certainly not the last, the Saddlers featured in a great advert for League One.

By far Grigg's most eye-catching moment came in the opening five minutes when he latched on to a through ball and bore down on goal – but before his attempted lob of home keeper Richard O'Donnell had even left his boot the flag was up for offside.

The Saddlers took their time to get going but Lalkovic and Chambers did test Button in the opening half-hour and it was perhaps against the run of play when Donaldson gave Brentford the lead.

Good build-up ended with Jake Bidwell flashing over an excellent cross from the left wing and Donaldson got ahead of Taylor at the far post to plant his header past O'Donnell. The Bees were generally on top for the rest of the half but a rally on the stroke of half-time saw the Saddlers pull level.

A Westcarr corner was never properly cleared, Chambers whipped in the ball from the right, Lalkovic headed the ball back across goal and the striker made no mistake from three yards out.

Marcel Trotta should have restored Brentford's lead early in the second half but struck over first time from 12 yards after Donaldson had got away from Taylor. After then the best chances fell to Walsall as Brandy tumbled, Button denied Sawyers and Westcarr fired over.

A point apiece was just about right but the fact that Brentford were on the ropes at the Banks's shows that the Saddlers are punching their weight in the fight for promotion.

Video courtesy of Brentford FC's YouTube channel