Away Day Review - MK Dons Oct 2009

Walsall

The home side lost two players to injury within the space of five minutes. On 17 minutes Mc Cracken was replaced by Howell and Lewington replaced by Gobern. Nothing at all was seen of Milton Keynes Dons until midway through the first half. Following a foul however, a free kick was sent over by Johnson that resulted in the first save of the afternoon for Rene Gilmartin. Clayton Mc Donald was shown the yellow card for a challenge that was not punished at the time as the referee waved play on but when the ball went out he duly producd the card with no protest from the defender. Mark Hughes had to be alert to get in an important clearance and soon after Gilmartin had to dash 15 yards outside his box to prevent danger.

MKD took the lead on 32 minutes. From play down the left Aaron Doran, on loan from Paul Ince's old club Blackburn,drilled a low ball and Jermaine Easter had a tap in from a couple of yards out. This was MKD's best spell of the game but the Saddlers were not downhearted and were looking to get back on level terms and Byfield drew out a good save from Gueret as he smacked in a goal bound shot.Not long after this Mark Bradley also had a shot on target which lacked pace and was delt with quite easily. In time added on Matt Richards tried his luck with a shot which was deflected away from danger.There's no doubt at all that the half belonged to Walsall who suprised the home side by looking to press forward and the visitors certainly didn't deserve to be a goal down at the break.

Walsall had to introduce Manny Smith in place of Mc Donald on 50 minutes who had taken a knock. It was a blow to lose the giant defender but Smithy didn't let anyone down and soon fitted into place. Five minutes later the hardworking Byfield won himself a free kick . Vincent took it but was gathered by the home keeper. Gilmartin was called into action in the 56th minute as he was tested by Easter but the keeper pulled off a comfortable enough save. A succession of fouls by both teams occupied the next period and on 66 mins again Gilmartin had to make a save which he did comfortably enough. Walsall did force two corners in the 69th minute as they began pressing forward a bit more and three minutes later Byfield clipped the bar from a narrow angle. The busy player carved out a couple of second half chances for himself and on another occasion the live-wire beat a man on the by-line, attempted to draw the keeper out but pushed the ball a bit too far forward.

Peter Till replaced Steve Jones and three minutes after that Chris Hutchings threw on Sam Parkin for Troy Deeney. Deeney worked hard for hardly any reward and he was marked pretty well and wasn't given much of a chance to impress. Till really didn't impress at all in the time he had on the pitch. Never once did he take a man on and that was a disappointment. Dwayne Mattis didn't have the best of games and Mark Bradley wasted the ball so many times and looked generally lost. Jones did OK first half but quiet in the second. Byfield looked the only player likely to score today although Parkin may have done better with a header on 91 minutes. From 8 yards out he out jumped his marker but flashed the ball three foot over the bar. Saddlers couldn't muster any further attempts on goal in the final three minutes of time added on and so suffered a 0-1 defeat but deserved a point. Chris Hutchings will be disapointed with his midfield today and I would have liked to have seen Alex Nicholls on for Jones. He at least would have taken men on in that final 15 minutes.