Walsall 3 Bradford City 3 - Report and pictures

First half goals from Shay McCartan and Dominic Poleon saw the visitors go into the interval two goals to the good.

A Luke Leahy own-goal then saw Stuart McCall’s side extend their lead at the start of the second half.

But Walsall and Leahy showed their character with the full-back netting his second goal in as many games just six minutes later.

Debutant Tyler Roberts then came off the bench to open his Saddlers account with a brilliant header.

The West Brom man then ensured he enjoyed a fairy-tale start to life at the Banks’s Stadium when he crossed for Amadou Bakayoko to seal the come-back in the 87th minute.

Analysis

In naming his starting line-up, boss Whitney kept faith with the team that secured a home victory over Oldham before battling to a point at Portsmouth.

It meant new recruit Tyler Roberts started his Saddlers career on the bench with Erhun Oztumer partnering Amadou Bakayoko up front in a 3-5-2 system.

For Bradford, key man Charlie Wyke recovered from a hamstring problem to make his first start of the season.

He lined up ahead of Dominic Poleon, Shay McCartan and Alex Gilliead in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

In an opening 45 minutes that showed just how important it is to take your chances when you’re on top, it was the Saddlers who initially began on the front foot.

After Joe Edwards had fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box, the former Yeovil man then whipped in a dangerous corner which both Shaun Donnellan and Bakayoko turned towards goal in a mammoth scramble only for Bradford to somehow keep it out.

With Bakayoko and Kieron Morris looking particularly lively, it was Whitney who was the happier of the two managers as the clock approached the half hour mark.

But despite Bradford having created very little, it was the visitors who got their noses in front following an excellent counter-attack.

A brilliant Alex Gilliead run saw the forward skip past a number of challenges before finding Wyke wide on the right. And he sent in a cross that was on a plate for McCartan to tap home.

Walsall responded with Erhun Oztumer sending a free-kick into the arms of Colin Doyle.

But the Saddlers were struggling to cope with Bradford’s pace on the break.

And they fell further behind when nobody dealt with Tom Field’s cross – allowing Poleon to somehow squeeze the ball into the corner from 18-yards.

Again Whitney’s men hit back and they should have halved their arrears on the stroke of half-time when Edwards found Morris in the box.

The 23-year-old was centrally placed eight-yards out, but despite having the goal at his mercy he scuffed his strike wide.

Walsall’s failure to take their chances was again punished at the start of the second half.

After Devlin had lofted the ball into the box, Bakayoko came a whisker away from pulling a goal back when he powered a header narrowly wide.

And the Bantams again made them pay with Tony McMahon whipping in a free-kick at the other end which hit Leahy and crossed the line to give the hosts a three-nil lead.

Walsall and Leahy showed their character just moments later when the former Falkirk man powered home a header at the back post to bring his side back into the game.

The Banks’s Stadium was then rocking when substitute Roberts netted a debut goal with a stunning header after he connected with a fine Leahy cross.

Walsall now had Bradford on the ropes with the hosts dominating the ball.

In contrast Bradford were offering next to nothing going forward as they looked to take the sting out of the game.

But Whitney's men got the equaliser they deserved in the 87th minute when Roberts sent in a dangerous cross which Bakayoko bundled home from close range.

Key moments

3 Charlie Wyke is fouled in a dangerous area on the edge of the box with Shay McCartan sending the resultant free-kick into the wall.

12 Kieron Morris finds Amadou Bakayoko who in turn gives it to Joe Edwards and he fires narrowly wide from the edge of the box.

14 Tony McMahon curls a free-kick into the hands of Mark Gillespie.

15 Nicky Devlin tricks his way past a defender before sending in a low cross which is cleared.

23 A brilliant Joe Edwards corner sees Shaun Donnellan and Bakayoko poke the ball towards goal but Bradford somehow keep it out.

30 GOAL BRADFORD. Alex Gillead breaks at pace and skips past a number of challenges to find Charlie Wyke on the right. He then sends in a dangerous low cross which Shay McCartan taps home.

36 Erhun Oztumer sends a free-kick from the edge of the box into the arms of Colin Doyle.

38 GOAL BRADFORD. Walsall fail to deal with Tom Field’s cross and Dominic Poleon drills into the corner from 18-yards.

44 Edwards skips in Morris but eight-yards out the 23-year-old fires wide when he should score.

46 Nicky Devlin lofts the ball into the box which Bakayoko meets but his header floats just wide.

49 GOAL BRADFORD Tony McMahon's free-kick is glanced on by Matt Kilgallon and then deflects off Leahy for an own goal.

55 GOAL WALSALL. Devlin’s cross is powerfully headed home by Leahy.

61 GOAL WALSALL. A brilliant Leahy cross is met by Tyler Roberts who heads into the top corner for a debut goal.

73 A good move from Bradford sees Nicly Law hit a cross-come-shot which Devlin puts behind.

82 Adam Chambers' diagonal ball is headed towards goal by Leahy but straight into the arms of Doyle.

85 Bakayoko hooks a volley over the bar.

87 GOAL WALSALL Roberts’ cross is met by Bakayoko who bundles the ball home from close range.

90+6 Leahy's cross is headed towards goal by Jon Guthrie but Doyle claims.

Teams

Walsall: Gillespie, Guthrie, Donnellan, Wilson, Leahy, Devlin, Chambers, Edwards, Morris (Roberts 53), Oztumer, Bakayoko.

Subs not used: L.Roberts, K. Roberts, Kinsella, Cuvelier, Kouhyar, Candlin.

Bradford: Doyle, McMahon, Kilgallon, Knight-Percival, Field (Barr 76), Reeves, Law, Gilliead (Hendrie 59), McCartan (Pybass 55), Poleon, Wyke.

Subs not used: Sattelmaier, Jones, Taylor, Patrick

Man of the Match

Luke Leahy