Saido Berahino gives taste of his potential as West brom reserves held by Walsall counterparts
SAIDO Berahino demonstrated his rich potential in a 36-minute second-half spell which indicated Albion have a potential star in their ranks.
The England Under-17 international blasted home a tremendous 25-yard free-kick to grab Albion’s equaliser and in so doing extended their unbeaten run to six games.
Rather surprisingly Albion had twice been in arrears only to hit back in stunning style to destroy Walsall’s victory aspirations.
Walsall took a surprise lead a minute before the break through Sam Parkin but Albion’s response was immediate at the start of the second half. Sam Mantom popped up on the left to draw them level and in Albion’s next raid produced the cross for Chris Wood to score.
In the 51st minute Alex Nicholls picked up a Peter Till pass and slotted the ball home from an acute angle for the equaliser.
Nicholls raced clear in the 59th minute to outpace Ashley Malcolm before coolly beating Dean Kiely with another accurate shot.
Five minutes later Albion sent on Berahino and immediately he demonstrated his confidence, maturity and explosive shooting.
Berahino was impeded by Clayton McDonald and took the free-kick himself and Gilmartin was left helpless as the ball whistled into the back of the net.
ALBION: Kiely; Samuels, Gayle, Thorne, Malcolm (Greer 72), Downing, Mantom, Sawyers, Reid, Wood, Brown (Berahino 64). Not used: Lynch, Allsop.
WALSALL. Gilmartin; Westlake, Keenan, Hickman, McDonald, Davies, Adkins, Geddes, Parkin (Grigg 72), Nicholls (Patterson 70), Till. Not used: Cooney, Partridge, McCourt.
