Walsall 3-1 Chesterfield: Saddlers come from behind to end winless run

In a game of halves, Chesterfield took the lead in the eighth-minute when skipper Jamie Grimes guided a free header into the far corner. 

Harry Williams made two vital last-ditch blocks to keep Walsall in the contest in the first half, before Jamille Matt hauled them level six minutes after the break with a clever flicked finish. 

Harrison rose highest at the back post to head home Taylor Allen's corner for his first goal for the club and substitute Levi Amantchi put the seal on the win at the death with his maiden strike in Walsall colours.

Mat Sadler made three changes from the 1-1 draw against Gillingham on Tuesday. Taylor Allen was immediately recalled after returning from suspension and Charlie Lakin was restored to the midfield, with Evan Weir and Oisin McEntee dropping to the bench. 

Harrison was given the nod in attack, replacing the injured Josh Gordon, as Sadler named the same XI that lost at Colchester United last weekend.

Chesterfield hit the front inside the first eight minutes when Walsall were punished for switching off at another set piece. 

Jack Sparkes worked his corner short for Dylan Duffy to deliver accurately to the back post where Grimes was inexplicably left completely unmarked to guide his header into the far corner. 

Walsall started lethargically with Chesterfield afforded ample time and space to build from the back. They looked short of ideas with attacks invariably breaking down before they had even gathered any momentum. 

Ryan Stirk almost gifted the visitors a second just past the quarter-hour mark when his undercooked back pass was pounced upon by Armando Dobra. Williams was alert to the danger to intervene and save Stirk's blushes with a crucial last-ditch block. 

Chesterfield squandered another golden chance to double their advantage when Duffy flashed a great delivery to the near post but Bim Pepple was unable to find the target.

Connor Barrett and Jamie Jellis combined successfully for the first time on the half-hour mark as Walsall almost found an equaliser. Barrett played a neat pass inside for Jellis and his effort with the outside of his boot whistled just wide of Max Thompson's right-hand post.

Williams rescued Walsall again with another heroic block after Pepple pickpocketed Taylor Allen and fed Duffy in behind. The Chesterfield winger was set to pull the trigger when Williams slid across to divert the ball behind. 

There was more drama on the cusp of half-time when referee Sunny Singh Gill had to be replaced by fourth official Karl Buckley after pulling his hamstring. 

Walsall suffered another blow after the break when Williams was forced off with an injury and had to be replaced by Oisin McEntee. 

But things improved six minutes after the restart when Matt pulled Walsall level with his 11th goal of the campaign and his second in as many games. Okagbue towered above his marker to cushion down Allen's floated corner and Matt flicked an instinctive finish beyond the reach of Thompson. 

They completed the comeback just four minutes later when Harrison propelled Walsall into the lead. Allen swung another lovely corner delivery to the back post and the MK Dons loanee towered above his marker to head home his first goal for the club.

The crowd roared Walsall on and they could've very well had a third when Liam Gordon found himself through on goal until a last-ditch challenge from Michael Olakigbe stopped him in his tracks.

Walsall played with a renewed energy in the second half, with intensity and confidence making a welcome return. 

Sadler made a triple substitution with 20 minutes left as Brandon Comley slotted in alongside Stirk to form a double pivot. Albert Adomah and Amantchi picked up the baton in attack but it was very much backs to the wall stuff as Walsall successfully held on during an eye-watering 10 minutes of stoppage time. 

As the clock ticked past the 10 minutes added on, Evan Weir broke down the left and squared for substitute Amantchi to put the seal on the win with a clinical finish at the back post.

Next, Walsall have back-to-back games on the road with a trip to the Lancashire coast to face Morecambe, before travelling to Cheltenham Town for their rearranged fixture the following Tuesday.

Teams

Walsall (3-1-4-2): Simkin; Okagbue, Williams (McEntee 49), Allen; Stirk; Barrett (Weir 90 +1), Jellis, Lakin (Comley 76), L Gordon; Matt (Amantchi 76), Harrison (Adomah 76).

Unused: Hornby, Johnson.

Chesterfield (4-2-3-1): Thompson; Sheckleford, Williams, Grimes, Sparkes; Naylor (Metcalfe 84), Oldaker (Banks 84); Olakigbe (Mandeville 89), Dobra, Duffy (Colclough 78); Pepple (Madden 78).

Unused: Boot, Donacien.

Referee: Sunny Singh Gill 

Attendance: 6,830 (1,648)