Analysis: Sigh of relief as Walsall end goal drought

It was the first one the home crowd had seen in well over seven hours of football and it also raised hopes of a first win in the league since January 1.

Walsall have become the draw specialists in that time, producing nine in total, and against a Gillingham side who are improving but certainly not free-scoring, many people would have gone for another stalemate on their pools coupons or fixed odds slips before the game.

But it was what Walsall deserved, coupled with another goal right at the end from Conor Wilkinson.

That gave the scoreline a fairer feel to it given Walsall had the most chances and that Glenn Morris in the Gillingham goal was undoubtedly their man-of-the-match,

In the run of 13 games without a win in the league, Walsall have often deserved more based on their generally solid defensive performances – it has been the front men who have not been able to produce the goods and not for a want of trying.

Wilkinson has had a nightmare season, only coming back from an anterior cruciate ligament in December and then getting injured again not long after.

Perhaps, finally, now he can play without the fear of pulling up again and the way he took his late goal on Saturday, moving trickily into the box and foxing a defender before slipping the ball home, suggests he can be a real crowd pleaser again.

On Saturday, it all came together and the game had a feel from the start that Walsall were going to get something when in the first minute Hutchinson saw a header tipped over the bar.

The team and management knew they needed to give the fans something to shout about and to enjoy with still four home games left to play after this one and there was a collective determination this wasn’t going to be another damp squib.

Gillingham offered very little up front except a few counter-attacks where Walsall had to be alert to the danger but, again, the defending was top notch, a point Michael Flynn was keen to make after the game.

He had also recently called for his players to shoot more and they seemed to be aware of it in the early stages, Brandon Comley doing just that on five minutes with his curling effort saved by Morris.

Joe Riley impressed on his full debut against Swindon on Tuesday and on nine minutes he cut inside but shot over the bar as Walsall looked to take the game to Gillingham and not even think about the prospect of another goalless draw

Riley also saw a free-kick punched away by Morris as Walsall tried hard to get the early goal their fans were looking for.

Any pressure Gillingham put on was being dealt with well by the Walsall defence, although on 34 minutes Tim Dieng put a low ball in which Tom Nichols just failed to connect with as he slid in close to Owen Evans’ left-hand post.

The half ended with Walsall attacking again though, Andy Williams putting in a shot which again was dealt with well by Morris. Williams had come in for Matty Stevens, who started against Swindon, as Flynn shuffled his pack again to try to get that winning formula

After the break the early pattern was similar, with Walsall pressing for the breakthrough and there was massive relief when it did come, on 50 minutes.

Tom Knowles sent Hutchinson scurrying down the left-hand side and he cut in and unleashed a shot which took a deflection off a defender on its way into the net.

It was the first goal for the Saddlers in the last five games at Bescot Stadium and seemed to take a second to sink in before the celebrations started.

Knowles has been impressive lately if not always with an end product, but on Saturday he was providing the ammunition for his team-mates to get the goals. And on 70 minutes he got down the left and turned provider again for Hutchinson, whose shot was blocked by Morris.

The last five minutes were nervy for Walsall as Shaun Williams put a free header straight into the arms of Evans and substitute Dom Jefferies flashed a shot wide.

The hosts almost made it two right on the 90-minute mark when another substitute, Matty Stevens, saw his shot take a deflection and almost bounce into the net.

But deep into injury time any nerves were calmed when Wilkinson, who had not long come on as substitute, applied a great finish to a chance he had set up for himself and the Bescot Stadium was bouncing again.