Saturday 26 August 2017
Sky Bet League One
Walsall 3 (Leahy 55, Roberts 61, Bakayoko 87)
Bradford City 3 (McCartan 30, Poleon 39, Kilgallon 49)
Kick Off: 3:00pm
at the Banks's Stadium
The Bantams surrendered a three-goal lead in an action-packed encounter at Walsall this Saturday, as Stuart McCall's men were forced to settle for a point at the Banks's Stadium.
Goals from Shay McCartan and Dominic Poleon put McCall's side in a strong position at the break. Matthew Kilgallon's headed goal via a delfection off Luke Leahy early after the restart then put City firmly in the driving seat and seemingly heading towards all three points.
A quick-fire response from Walsall, however, saw the hosts roar back into the contest shortly after Kilgallon's goal.
Goals within six minutes of each other from Leahy and Walsall debutant Tyler Roberts suddenly saw the momentum swing back in the Saddlers' favour and the Bantams on the back foot.
Walsall piled more and more pressure on City's goal in search of an equaliser that had seemed unlikely at one stage, and their efforts paid off when Amadou Bakayoko headed home from close range three minutes from the end of normal time.
FT: Walsall 3 Bradford City 3
90+5min: Leahy's ball into the box is headed down by Guthrie but Doyle is able to gather up ahead of a lurking Wilson.
90+5min: Oztumer plays Devlin into space inside the box as Walsall break forward. The right wing-back shoots across goal but the effort is blocked behind by Kilgallon for a corner.
90min: There will be six minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
89min: Law's cross into the box is cleared out only as far as Pybus just inside the box but the midfielder blasts over.
88min: YELLOW CARD - After a number of earlier fouls, McMahon is booked for barging into Edwards just inside Walsall's half of the pitch.
87min: GOAL - Walsall 3 Bradford City 3 - Walsall draw level when Roberts' teasing delivery into the six yard box is headed in from close range by Bakayoko.
85min: Oztumer's ball from a deep free-kick into the box is headed on by Chambers but Bakayoko's flick for goal loops comfortably over the bar.
82min: Adam Chambers' floated ball into the box is met by Leahy but his powerful header is held by Doyle.
76min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Lachlan Barr for Field, who limps off appearing to holding his hamstring.
75min: YELLOW CARD - Knight-Percival is booked for bringing down Bakayoko just outside the box after the striker had burst clear down Walsall's right flank.
73min: A great piece of passing play between Pybus and Nicky Law sees the latter fire the ball dangerously across the six yard box. Any City player close by has an easy tap-in but no-one is near enough and Devlin puts behind for a corner.
69min: YELLOW CARD - Field is booked for kicking the ball away after the award of a Walsall free-kick around the edge of their own area.
65min: There is a brief break in play as Doyle receives treatment following a bang to the head while claiming an aerial ball.
61min: GOAL - Walsall 2 Bradford City 3 - Walsall have another goal back when Roberts heads in from Leahy's cross.
59min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Luke Hendrie for Gilliead.
57min: Knight-Percival heads over following McMahon's ball towards the far post from a wide free-kick.
55min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Daniel Pybus for McCartan.
55min: GOAL - Walsall 1 Bradford City 3 - Walsall pull a goal back through Leahy. The left wing back thumps in a towering header from Devlin's searching cross.
53min: SUB - Walsall bring on Tyler Roberts for Morris.
50min: James Wilson's searching ball towards the far post is dropped by Doyle while under pressure from Leahy. It seems as though a free-kick for City would be awarded but to Doyle's amazement play is allowed to continue. Leahy fires the ball across goal but Knight-Percival crucially kicks clear ahead of Bakayoko.
49min: GOAL!!!!!!! Walsall 0 Bradford City 3 - The Bantams treble their lead through Kilgallon! McMahon's delivery into the box from a wide free-kick finds Kilgallon in the middle and the central defender powers a downward header past a rooted Gillespie via a deflection off Leahy.
47min: Devlin's stabbed pass forward deflects up into the path of Bakayoko inside the box but the striker's looping header drops wide of Doyle's near post.
46min: The Bantams restart the match. They will now attack towards their own fans in the second period.
HT: Walsall 0 Bradford City 2
45+1min: Leahy's low drive across the six yard box is parried by Doyle before Nathaniel Knight-Percival next to him kicks clear.
45min: There will be one minute of time added on at the end of the first half.
43min: Edwards finds Morris in a dangerous position in the box but the attacking midfielder squanders a promising opportunity by firing wide on his weaker right foot.
40min: Oztumer moves in-field from Walsall's right-flank before finding Leahy around the edge of the box on the opposite side. Leahy drives a shot at goal and the effort deflects behind for a corner.
39min: GOAL!!!!!!!!! Walsall 0 Bradford City 2 - The Bantams double their lead through Poleon! Tom Field's cross into the box from the left finds Poleon and the striker chests the ball down before firing low into the bottom corner.
37min: Matthew Kilgallon sends a looping header over following McMahon's free-kick into the box from wide.
36min: Erhun Oztumer goes for a goal direct from a free-kick but the low effort is held with some ease by a watchful Doyle.
30min: GOAL!!!!!!!!! Walsall 0 Bradford City 1 - McCartan fires City into the lead on the half hour mark! A great run from Alex Gilliead has the Walsall defence on the back-foot as he moves towards the hosts' penalty area. Gilliead plays the ball out to Charlie Wyke, who is in a wide position inside the box. Wyke fires the ball across goal and McCartan is on hand over by the far post for a simple tap-in from close range.
25min: Dominic Poleon lays the ball back to McCartan but the striker's low drive from just outside the box lacks the power to overly trouble Gillespie.
23min: City somehow survive an almighty scramble in their box! Edwards' teasing corner delivery into the six yard box causes some trouble for the Bantams as the ball bounces around. Bakayoko and Luke Leahy before try to force the ball over the line but Doyle is eventually able to cling on.
17min: Nicky Devlin plays the ball in-field towards Kieran Morris. The attacking midfielder turns goalwards but his effort from roughly twenty-five yards flies comfortably wide of Colin Doyle's net.
14min: Tony McMahon's free-kick for goal from some distance out is comfortably gathered by Walsall shot-stopper Mark Gillespie.
13min: Amadou Bakayoko plays the ball into the path of Joe Edwards just outside the box. The midfielder goes for goal but his right-footed effort from around the edge of the area rolls wide of the post.
3min: Shay McCartan's free-kick from just outside the area is fired against the Walsall wall.
0min: Walsall kick off the match. They will defend the end housing their away supporters in the first period.
WALSALL LINE UP:
Gillespie, Donnellan, Wilson, Guthrie, Devlin, Leahy, Chambers, Edwards, Morris, Oztumer, Bakayoko
Subs: L Roberts, Cuvelier, Kinsella, T Roberts, K Roberts, Kouhyar, Candlin
Walsall substitutions:
Roberts for Morris (53)
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Doyle, McMahon, Knight-Percival, Kilgallon, Field, Gilliead, Reeves, Law, McCartan, Poleon, Wyke
Subs: Sattelmaier, Taylor, Hendrie, Jones, Pybus, Barr, Patrick
Bradford City substitutions:
Pybus for McCartan (55), Hendrie for Gilliead (59), Barr for Field (76)
Bradford City cautions:
Field (69), Knight-Percival (75), McMahon (88)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: M Salisbury
Assistant Referee: J Simpson
Assistant Referee: N Smith
Fourth Official: G HIlton