Gillingham 1 Walsall 2 - Report and pictures
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Walsall secured a crucial victory in the race for automatic promotion following a 2-1 win at rivals Gillingham.more
Second half goals from Milan Lalkovic and Jordy Hiwula secured the points to lift the Saddlers back up to third in League One – five points behind Burton Albion but with a game in hand.
Jon Whitney's side didn't have it all their own way and were hugely indebted to goalkeeper Neil Etheridge who brilliantly saved a first half penalty from Luke Norris.
But Walsall grew in strength after the miss and went on to control the game with Norris scoring in the last few seconds when he acrobatically fired home a long-throw.
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Walsall fans were dealt a blow before kick off when it was announced top scorer Tom Bradshaw and influential centre-back James O'Connor failed to make the long journey to Kent.
With the duo sidelined through injury, Whitney made two changes from the side that fell to a 1-0 loss against Oldham.
Switching back to a 4-2-3-1 formation, Rico Henry returned at left-back and Lalkovic on the left wing and Hiwula the lone striker.
For Gillingham, star man Bradley Dack made his first start for more than five weeks after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Both teams entered the game knowing a win would be a major boost to their automatic promotion hopes – with the loser likely to have to go on and cement their place in the play-offs.
And it was Justin Edinburgh's Gills who registered the game's first chance with Deji Oshilaja rising highest from a corner.
But Neil Etheridge was equal to the defender's effort and pushed the ball over the bar.
Gillingham had made the brighter start but it was the Saddlers who threatened next with Sam Mantom hitting a rasping drive from 25-yards which a diving Stuart Nelson had to beat away.
Suddenly the game had become open with the hosts coming a whisker away from breaking the deadlock in the 21st minute.
A corner was only half cleared to Dack on the edge of the box with the creative schemer hitting a wonderful half-volley towards the top corner.
Etheridge though was alert to the danger and produced a brilliant one-handed stop to push the ball around the post.
Minutes later and the Saddlers were hugely indebted to their goalkeeper once again when referee Stuart Atwell pointed to the spot after Paul Downing appeared to handle a hopeful ball into the box.
Luke Norris stood over the penalty and tried to find the bottom left corner but Etheridge expertly read the strike and managed to palm the ball to safety.
Having been given a huge let-off, the Saddlers went up the other end and won a free-kick on the edge of the Gills box.
Lalkovic took it and curled a wonderful strike which cannoned off the top of the bar before going over.
The game was now more even with Walsall enjoying a sustained spell of possession as the clock approached the 40 minute mark.
And they almost got their noses in front when Lalkovic's dangerous cross was met in the air by Anthony Forde.
The winger looked to plant the ball into the right corner but his header sailed wide after Hiwula had attacked the same ball.
Whitney's side continued to press for the remaining minutes to ensure they finished the half on top despite being hugely indebted to Etheridge.
Walsall flew out of the blocks after the interval and should have gone ahead within the first 60 seconds.
A wonderful Sawyers ball found an unmarked Hiwula in the box with the striker seeming set to volley the ball into the net.
But the Huddersfield loanne completely miss-cued his effort with the ball instead hitting his standing leg and bouncing to safety.
The Saddlers remained the brighter of the two teams as the game approached the hour-mark.
And they took the lead in the 69th minute through a wonderful goal from Lalkovic.
The winger collected the ball 30-yards out and dashed at goal before curling an unstoppable into the far right corner and beyond the diving arms of Nelson.
Whitney responded by bringing on Kieron Morris for Forde with Walsall going onto double their lead in the 77th minute.
A swift counter saw the Saddlers break five on four with Sawyers playing a wonderful through ball to get Hiwula in.
The Huddersfield loanne had support from a galloping Lalkovic but the striker choose not to use him and instead fired the ball low past Nelson.
With five minutes remaining, Whitney switched Jordan Cook for goal scorer Lalkovic.
And the Saddlers looked comfortable as they looked to close out the remaining stages of the game.
But in the last few seconds of five minutes added time, Norris acrobatically fired home from a long throw with referee Atwell blowing for full-time immediately after the re-start.
