Walsall analysis: Saddlers hit back in style

The Saddlers had not won at Valley Parade since 2014, and Mat Sadler voiced his desire to reverse that trend ahead of kick-off.

His team responded with their best performance of the season so far.

It was a relatively even contest in the opening 15 minutes. Sadler had made four changes from the defeat against Wimbledon – switching to a back-four with teenager Harry Williams partnering Donervon Daniels.

Elsewhere, Aramide Oteh came in down the right, Ross Tierney was restored to the starting XI, and Joe Riley started at right-back.

Freddie Draper led the line, and gave Bradford defenders Sam Stubbs and Matt Platt a torrid time.

He cushioned the ball down on a couple of occasions inside the opening 10 minutes, before driving forward with a dangerous burst of pace.

Although neither occasion led to a clear-cut chance, it was a sign of Walsall’s attacking intentions.

The hosts had the best chance of the opening exchanges when Platt glanced his header wide.

And it was Bradford who drew first blood as Walsall fell behind for the fourth consecutive game.

It actually stemmed from a Walsall free-kick in a dangerous position. Tierney’s delivery was cleared and Rayhaan Tulloch immediately recycled the ball to Jamie Walker.

Tulloch then latched onto a through ball from Walker, before going down under a challenge from Riley.