Top five Walsall goals of the season (so far)
With the football season suspended for the foreseeable future, bow’s the time to look back over the season so far to find some fond memories.
Though their play-off challenge hasn’t quote materialised, there have been some flashes of brilliance from Walsall players.
Here – in the next instalment of a series looking back at West Midlands clubs – Liam Keen picks his top five goals of the season so far...
5. Wes McDonald - Crawley 2 Walsall 3
In what was McDonald’s break-out performance for the Saddlers, the winger masterminded a 3-2 away win with a goal and an assist.
After brilliantly setting up Elijah Adebayo earlier in the game, McDonald scored a superb solo goal to make it 3-1 to the Saddlers just before half-time.
Running at the defence from deep in their half, he raced to the byline, jinking between defenders, before cutting in on his right foot and curling the ball into the far top corner.
4. James Clarke - Crawley 2 Walsall 3
The first of two entries from this date, and the second in this list by central defender Clarke. A week after that bicycle kick against Scunthorpe, Clarke put Walsall 1-0 up in the 14th minute with a blistering strike. Having been fed the ball by Rory Gaffney, the captain unleashed a fierce drive from 30 yards and smashed the ball into the top corner in front of the away fans.
3. Rory Holden - Walsall 3 Northampton 2
Before we get back to McDonald and Clarke, how about this from Rory Holden?
The importance of this goal, rather than the technical skill of it, is vital here. At home to Northampton, Walsall found themselves 2-0 down at half-time after a poor performance.
But with a good second-half, they got themselves level after 77 minutes before Holden stepped up.
A Walsall counter-attack in the 93rd minute saw Holden driving forward before playing McDonald down the left.
The winger carried the ball forward before playing a simple pass inside to Holden, whose shot from inside the box deflected and looped over the goalkeeper.
The Walsall fans went crazy as the team completed the comeback.
2. James Clarke - Walsall 1 Scunthorpe 0
James Clarke bagged the only goal of the game at home to Scunthorpe.
The centre-back rose highest to meet Danny Guthrie’s 65th-minute cross to bicycle kick the ball home.
The captain made a sweet connection with the ball as it bounced up and over the goalkeeper.
He was not quite done with the spectacular though...
1. Wes McDonald - Walsall 2 Crawley 1
Wes McDonald got the better of Crawley for the second time this season (more to come on that later), but this has to be the finest goal of the season – as well as one of the most important.
With the game locked at 1-1, the winger made his mark in the 88th minute with a League Two goal of the season contender.
Coming in off the left, he danced passed several defenders before whipping the ball over the goalkeeper from the corner of the box and in off the bar.
The goal even impressed manager Darrell Clarke who was visibly impressed on the touchline.
