Paul Watson, a member of our London Branch, gave us his thoughts on the Walsall game.

To find out more about the London Branch, click HERE.

You know sometimes I think those folk who do the overhead signs on the Moterways are 'avin a larrff, they do the speed cameras as well, and working for the same company does not appear to exonerate one from the fines.

Anyway having seen such signs claiming that the M5 was blocked at the M6 Junction, and the M6 blocked two junctions either side of Walsall I decoded to risk the A roads and went wrong, passing over the M5 and M6 en-route only to observe sparsely spaced free running traffic!

Anyway this made me too late to make the pub, but still early enough to give me a wait. Eventually cometh the Croxy with the ticket and seats were taken. I don't like seats, and I don't like being behind the goal, so a good show was essential to mitigate.

United started the brighter but a real turning point came on 10 minutes when Walsall stopper Clayton Ince upended Danny Carlton as he ran on to Simon Hackney's clever through ball. Saved a red (and inexplicably a yellow as well) by the fact that Carlton was running away from the goal, the impressive keeper made amends by diving low to his right to deny Danny Graham's spot kick. United seemed shocked by the missed chance and with the midfield becoming more and more ineffective, Walsall were allowed to turn on the pressure and serious cracks started to develop in the United defence. With no one talking confusion reigned every time the home side pumped the ball into the box. Many that would have been bread and butter for Keiren Westwood, were unconfidently and desperately hacked away or smashed out for corners, or sometimes hoofed wastefully wide by the hosts, as Ben Williams stood static.

The foray was rare though, and Walsall got the inevitable breakthrough in first half stoppage time, a unnecessary backpass, a poor clearance and when the ball came back in and Dwayne Mattis managed finally to make Walsall attack count with a glanced header past Williams' outstretched hand.

The second half started in much brighter fashion for United and Danny Graham soon had a good sight of goal but couldn't muster the power to beat Ince. Walsall should have immediately made United pay, but once more Jabo Ibehre blasted wastefully wide with the goal at his mercy. With Hackney and Bridge Wilkinson starting to tick in Midfield (but Thirlwell still woeful) Ward decided on more punch up front and introduced loanees Jennison Myrie-Williams and, to expectant cheers, Michael Bridges, for Dobie and Carlton. But it was Walsall who got the next breakthrough.

The United defence again looked frail as a stupid corner was conceded from a threatless cross, not dealt with and the wayward Ibehre finally slotted the ball home. It was a shame as United, driven by Bridge Wilkinson, were just beginning to get something together, and after hesitant starts the subs really started to contribute.

Myrie-Williams had a chance to be the hero when he broke with pace up the centre of the park. The impetuous winger did well to keep his head and get a shot away under close attention from a defender, but his powerful strike was well matched by Ince. Bridges was also causing problems from the slot and with David Raven overlapping well a breakthrough started to look likely. However Ince was a commanding figure in the Walsall box and the Saddler's back like looked comfortable with any ball in. They were less comfortable Myrie-Williams turned on his dribbling skills. First a mazy run on the right led to a power cross that was desperately hacked behind. Next, Bridges flashed a volley just past the right upright before the Bristol City loanee again picked up the ball on the right for another tricky run which seemed to be going nowhere just as he was hacked down and United were awarded their second spot kick. This time Bridge-Wilkinson was handed the responsibility, and he didn't disappoint.

United pushed for the equaliser, and more desperate Walsall defending followed a block on Hackney's excellent volley (He's damn good at those). Evan Horwood joined the fray and tried his luck from distance but time ran out and United ended up with nothing.