Walsall 2 Hartlepool 3 - analysis
While their lead ebbed away, Walsall were taught a stark lesson of the harsh realities of League One.
While their lead ebbed away, Walsall were taught a stark lesson of the harsh realities of League One.
Two consecutive home defeats shouldn't see the panic button being pushed, or even dusted down, but suddenly the trip to Leicester City and the journey to Leeds United on Saturday don't seem too appetising.
The Saddlers need to find their form again and, without stating the obvious, need to find it quickly to stop them losing ground on their fellow promotion contenders.
Their recent impressive away form may give them added heart ahead of the Walkers Stadium clash but a 90 minute performance is needed, rather than one of 45.
In their last three games against Hereford, Peterborough and now Hartlepool the Saddlers have failed to show in the second half. They were punished in quite spectacular fashion on Saturday.
The crescendo of boos which greeted Walsall at the final whistle was born out of frustration and disappointment rather than outright anger.
Hartlepool had come to the Banks's on the back of a five match winless streak and successfully overturned the Saddlers' advantage with too much ease in the second half.
At the break, Danny Wilson's side looked dead and buried but there was still an uneasy belief the hosts still needed one final goal to kill off their visitors.
With the marvellous ability of hindsight, Troy Deeney's miss early in the second half is now more costly than anyone could have imagined.
Hartlepool capitalised on the striker's profligacy by taking the game by the scruff of the neck and rattling the Saddlers until they crumbled.
Three goals in 11 second half minutes, all coming in the final 18 of the game, stunned the hosts and made a mockery of their first half display.
Wilson's changes turned the game with substitute Matty Robson supplying their first for Antony Sweeney on 72 minutes, before unleashing a spectacular half-volley to level just four minutes later.
Seven minutes from time and James Brown completed a remarkable comeback, when he buried a header past Clayton Ince. It had started so well for the hosts with goals from Michael Ricketts and Jabo Ibehre putting them 2-0 ahead after 13 minutes.
A clinical opening spell paved the way for three points for the changed Saddlers, who recalled Clayton Ince, Rhys Weston and Deeney.
How much the Saddlers missed the calming effects of flu victim Stephen Hughes is open to debate but the skipper's soothing ability would have been welcomed with Hartlepool mounting pressure.
While Wilson tinkered and toiled as his side prodded and probed, Mullen remained impassive as his side sat deeper and deeper on their lead.
It was the stereotypical Jekyll and Hyde performance from the Saddlers but they couldn't have had a better start, when Ricketts nodded them in front after five minutes.
The striker was afforded the freedom of the area to meet Chris Palmer's driven corner and head in, despite the best attempts of Arran Lee-Barrett in the Hartlepool goal. Eight minutes later and Ibehre doubled the Saddlers' advantage with a true striker's goal.
Dwayne Mattis worked the ball wide to Deeney and the 20-year-old centred for the waiting Ibehre to crash a header past Lee-Barrett. So far so good. But that is where it ended for the Saddlers. For all their first half dominance, they failed to extend their lead.
Dwayne Mattis fluffed his lines when found by Ricketts and Palmer stung the palms of Lee-Barrett with a sharp shot from the angle.
Hartlepool hinted at their future revival when Kevin Kyle made a hash of two chances and Andy Monkhouse shot wide after a neat turn.
Former Wolves loanee Kyle should have reduced the arrears when good work from Monkhouse and Ben Clark saw the latter cross for the unmarked Kyle, who contrived to miss the target from eight yards.
It was a huge let off for the Saddlers and proved why Coventry were so keen to offload the striker. The Saddlers were in cruise control during the first 45 minutes and, straight after the break could have finished their visitors off with a well worked move.
Palmer and Ibehre found space on the left and when Ibehre centred, the stretching Deeney could only knock the ball wide.
If there was to be a turning point, that was it. It galvanised Pools and it became their game and James Brown drove a shot just over Ince's bar as the visitors found their rhythm.
They were transformed from the side which performed so abjectly in the first half and Walsall were retreating with every passing minute.
Palmer floated a cross over the bar in a rare foray into the Hartlepool half but Wilson's side were in complete control.
Despite their dominance they had no goal to show for their efforts and it looked increasingly likely the Saddlers could hold out before Sweeney pulled one back on 72 minutes as he coolly slotted home Robson's low centre.
Substitute Robson had impressed since coming on and he vindicated his introduction with a beauty of an equaliser. Lee Barrett's long kick was helped onto the winger, who unleashed a perfect half-volley which screamed past Ince on its way into the top corner.
It was a remarkable fightback from Hartlepool but worse was to follow for the Saddlers, when Sweeney rampaged down the left before crossing for Brown to thump in the winner.
Harsh on Walsall? Perhaps, but it proves the unforgiving nature of League One and is a lesson learned.
As they vainly fought for a draw, Richard Taundry shot over and Ricketts was off target with a header before Ibehre almost snatched a dramatic late point.
Deep into injury time, the striker wriggled free of the last man but his low effort was blocked by the flailing legs of Lee-Barrett.
