Walsall 1 : 1 Bristol City - Saddlers leave it late

Posted Sunday, October 05, 2014 by PA

A magnificent goal from Romaine Sawyers five minutes from the end earned Walsall a 1-1 draw at the Banks's Stadium as League One leaders Bristol City extended their unbeaten run to 11 games.

Sawyers drove a superb 20-yard shot into the roof of the net at the end of a sparkling moved involving Mathieu Manset and Anthony Forde, and neither side could grab a winner in the six minutes added for an injury to an assistant referee after sliding players caught his leg and he had to go off.

City had taken the lead in the 11th minute when young Walsall midfielder Reece Flanagan gave the ball away and a deep cross from Luke Ayling flicked off the head of home defender Paul Downing for Joe Bryan to collect, nip round James O'Connor and fire low past Richard O'Donnell.

It could have been two six minutes later. Downing lost the ball on the edge of the box but Aaron Wilbraham's shot was smothered by O'Donnell.

The Saddlers suffered another blow in the 34th minute when top scorer Tom Bradshaw limped off with an apparent recurrence of a hamstring strain.

Both sides went in search of a late winner but defences held out,