Saddlers pay for failings in front of goal against MK Dons
Oct 12 2009 by Christopher Lepkowski, Birmingham Mail
ONE moment pretty much summed up Walsall’s defeat at the MK Dons.
Striker Darren Byfield had just seen his shot ricochet against goalkeeper Willy Gueret and hit the bar.
The ex-Villa man kicked the advertising hoarding in anger, frustration and despair.
Had he broken his foot in this ill-advised fit of pique, it would have merely drawn an even bigger line under the Saddlers’ afternoon.
Luckily he didn’t.
Chris Hutchings’s men lost because they simply lacked a cutting edge.
As well as hitting the bar, Byfield missed two other great chances.
At the other end the MK Dons, who were outplayed for the opening half-hour, pretty much ensured victory with their first attack of the game.
Aaron Doran, a lively, tricky customer who looks and plays like Sunderland’s Andy Reid, sent in a low cross for Jamie Puncheon in the 32nd minute. Whether Puncheon got a touch was irrelevant – he got past Walsall’s backline far too easily – as did Jermaine Easter, who converted from close range to ensure the home side’s win.
That summed up Walsall’s deficiencies in many ways. They occasionally fail to function fully at the back and, all too often, lack punch up front.
The Saddlers could easily have taken a 4-1 win on Saturday as they had the chances to do so.
At the back, Mark Hughes was excellent for most of the game but they were punished once – and once was all it took.
In the end Hutchings was forced to explain that, basically, his side simply weren’t good enough in front of goal.
The second half did not see the best of starts for the Saddlers when Clayton McDonald went off after 52 minutes, to be replaced by Manny Smith.
Jamie Vincent had to come to Walsall’s rescue with a vital touch back to Rene Gilmartin in the 72nd minute as he came under pressure from Aaron Wilbraham.
Sam Parkin went close for the visitors late on but it was all too easy for the Dons. Embraced by locals, playing in an excellent stadium, the much-maligned Milton Keynes are on the up. And good luck to them.
For Walsall, the sad reality is that they are simply not good enough to compete at the highest sphere of this division, more so with some of the clubs currently rebuilding their reputations at this level.
Hutchings can blind people with ‘football speak’ for only so long – the bottom line is that until the Saddlers get some major investment into place they will continue to be League One’s hard luck story.
Which is a shame because a club of Walsall’s size and, more so its potential, is punching below its weight.
MK DONS (4-4-2): Gueret, Doumbe, Powell, McCracken (Howell, 19), Lewington (Gobern, 24), Doran, Leven, Puncheon, Johnson (Baldock, 75), Wilbraham, Easter. Not used: Searle, Ibehre, Morgan, Swailes, Gobern.
WALSALL (4-4-2): Gilmartin 6, Weston 6, ★ HUGHES 7, McDonald 7 (Smith 52, 5), Vincent 6, Jones 5 (Till 74, 4), Mattis 5, Bradley 6, Richards 5, Deeney 6 (Parkin, 83), Byfield 6. Not used: Ince, Nicholls, O’Keefe, Westlake.
Referee: D Sheldrake (Surrey).
