Match ends, Walsall 1, Bristol City 1.
WalsallWalsall1Bristol CityBristol City1
Walsall grabbed a well-earned draw against League One leaders Bristol City thanks to Romaine Sawyers' late strike.
Joe Bryan put the visitors ahead on 11 minutes with a right-footed shot into the corner from Luke Ayling's cross.
Aaron Wilbraham could have doubled City's lead but he fired straight at goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell.
The Saddlers created few chances after the loss of top scorer Tom Bradshaw but Sawyers curled a superb shot into the top corner five minutes from time.
| Sawyers off on international duty in Caribbean |
|---|
| Walsall striker Romaine Sawyers headed off after the game to link up with the St Kitts & Nevis squad for this week's three Caribbean Cup games in Port-au-Prince against Barbados (8 October), French Guiana (10 October) and Haiti (12 October). He misses Tuesday night's Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie at Rochdale and next Saturday's League One trip to Oldham Athletic. |
Bradshaw limped off on 35 minutes with a hamstring injury that will scupper his chances of an international call, having been on standby for the full Wales squad.
Bristol City extend their unbeaten start to the season, although their lead at the top has been cut to four points, while Walsall move up one place into 16th.
Walsall striker Romaine Sawyers told BBC WM:
"Hopefully I can keep this form whilst I am away and then be able to maintain my high standards when I return from international duty.
"It was nice to see the ball hit the back of the net. It was a really good team goal with some neat play in the build-up.
"It was a great performance against another of the top teams. We always seem to perform against the better sides. Maybe it's because they come here trying to impose themselves on the game.
"We kept believing. At half-time, the gaffer told us to keep doing the right things and we got our reward. In fact, we were a little disappointed that we didn't come away with all three points."
Bristol City manager Steve Cotterill told BBC Radio Bristol:
"I think they're a good team. There were a couple of teams that I knew we would play against that don't get a lot of profile. But one thing is for sure, their manager and players work extremely hard.
"One was obviously Walsall today and the other was Rochdale, So I think we'll look back at this period of the season and think that these were two very good points.
"Second half we had to show a different side. I thought we were organised and the spirit was fantastic. They covered yards and yards, for each other.
"The one thing we didn't do was, we were not quite ruthless enough with our attempts on goal and we didn't stop one shot we didn't block one shot."
Line-ups
Walsall
Formation 4-4-2
- 1O'Donnell
- 4O'Connor
- 6DowningBooked at 40mins
- 44Butler
- 3Taylor
- 27Forde
- 7Chambers
- 17FlanaganSubstituted forCliffordat 60'minutes
- 11BaxendaleSubstituted forMansetat 81'minutes
- 10Sawyers
- 9BradshawSubstituted forCookat 35'minutes
Substitutes
- 13MacGillivray
- 14Benning
- 15Chambers
- 21Cook
- 24Grimes
- 26Clifford
- 37Manset
Bristol City
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Fielding
- 22Ayling
- 4Flint
- 3Williams
- 7Smith
- 2Little
- 15FreemanSubstituted forWagstaffat 83'minutes
- 23Bryan
- 8Elliott
- 19AgardBooked at 21mins
- 18Wilbraham
Substitutes
- 6El-Abd
- 10Emmanuel-Thomas
- 11Wagstaff
- 13Richards
- 17Cunningham
- 20Burns
- 21Pack
- Referee:
- Keith Hill
- Attendance:
- 5,574
Match Stats
Home TeamWalsallAway TeamBristol City
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away4
- Corners
- Home5
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Walsall 1, Bristol City 1.
Post update
Foul by Mathieu Manset (Walsall).
Post update
Luke Ayling (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt missed. Aaron Wilbraham (Bristol City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
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Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Andy Butler.
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Foul by Paul Downing (Walsall).
Post update
Kieran Agard (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt saved. Scott Wagstaff (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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Attempt saved. Kieran Agard (Bristol City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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Billy Clifford (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Joe Bryan (Bristol City).
Goal!
Goal! Walsall 1, Bristol City 1. Romaine Sawyers (Walsall) right footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner.
Post update
Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Joe Bryan.
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. Scott Wagstaff replaces Luke Freeman.
Substitution
Substitution, Walsall. Mathieu Manset replaces James Baxendale.
Post update
Foul by Adam Chambers (Walsall).
Post update
Derrick Williams (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by James O'Connor.
Post update
James Baxendale (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
