Monday, 8 April 2013

Walsall 1 Sheffield United 1

My piece from Sunday's paper

Party pooper Chris Porter returned to the Blades ranks to grab his side a valuable point.
Striker Porter, 29, snatched a valuable point for promotion chasing United in the 64th minute after replacing sick teammate Dave Kitson at half time and dented Walsall's play-off chances.

Porter also revealed he had United's best interests at heart when he signed a recent loan deal with Shrewsbury. He explained:

"I knew I wasn't going to play for few games and it was a no-brainier to join them because they'd be playing some teams near the top and I thought if I could work some magic, it might help Sheffield United.

"I had a few options to go to different places, but looking at the games Shrewsbury had in respect to Sheffield United, I went there and we managed to beat Tranmere so I might have had an impact."



Kevin MCDonald hits one post, then the other post and finally Chris Porter (partially hidden by a, er, post) scores 

Midfielder Kevin McDonald's shot from 22 yards hit one post before rolling across the goal line to hit the other, but Porter reacted first to prod it in to keep the club's automatic promotion hopes alive and spoil Walsall's 125th anniversary celebrations.

Relieved United boss Danny Wilson said:

"We never got to grips with it in the first half and there were a few choice words said at half time, but in the second half we got better. Who knows how important that point might be at the end of the season?


"It was important for Chris to go and get some games at Shrewsbury and it might just be the making of him. Dave started with a migraine. We never thought he'd play the whole game anyway, but we had a good replacement in Ports."

The Saddlers have only lost one game this year as they close in on the play-off places and striker Craig Westcarr opened the scoring one minute before the break.

Lively co-striker James Baxendale crossed the ball from the right and Westcarr turned defender Harry Maguire before drilling in his fifth goal since joining the Walsall's promotion push in January.


Craig Westcarr, 28, said:

"It's going to be about who's consistent and who's more ruthless. It's down to us. We have to win our games to give ourselves the best chance. If we get nine points and don't make the play-offs then fair play to the other teams, but I don't think they're good enough to pull away."

Frustrated Walsall manager Dean Smith said:

"There's a sense in the dressing room that we got beat. With the number of chances we should've been out of sight. Thirteen games unbeaten is a fabulous record and we've still got something to play for.We played against one of the big hitters in the league and we outplayed them."

Walsall bossed the first half with winger Febian Brandy and Baxendale in particular terrorising the United defence.

And Brandy came close to scoring two minutes before Westcarr's goal when he skipped past three defenders on the left side of the box, but dragged his shot inches wide of the far post.

My clipping from today's edition


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