Walsall 3 : 1 Preston North End - Saddlers unseat Lilywhites

Posted Sunday, September 14, 2014 by PA

Walsall grabbed their first league win of the season, beating 10-man Preston 3-1 after the visitors had substitute Jordan Hugill sent off for violent conduct.

Hugill received a straight red card in the 69th minute after clashing with Saddlers' defender Andy Butler, who was making his first appearance since returning to the club on loan from Sheffield United.

Walsall took the lead in the seventh minute when Mal Benning and Adam Chambers combined and the latter squared the ball for Romaine Sawyers, back from international duty with St Kitts and Nevis, to score his first goal of the season with a low drive from the edge of the box.

But after that shock a more powerful Preston midfield began to dictate things, and after Sawyers lost possession the Lillywhites hit on the break and Joe Garner smashed a right-foot drive past Richard O'Donnell from 20 yards.

The Saddlers regained the lead four minutes into the second half when Tom Bradshaw netted his fourth goal of the season with a flashing header from Anthony Forde's perfect cross, and Paul Downing headed a third from Ford's 76th-minute cormer, sending Preston to their first defeat of the campaign.