Walsall Packed (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Walsall Packed

7:57pm Saturday 5th May 2007 in Football By Dave Wallis

Full time Saturday May 5th

Match report from Swindon Town

Coca Cola League Two

Swindon Town 1 Walsall 1

In front of a full house at the County Ground, Paul Sturrock had decisions to make about his team selection for this vital match with the Saddlers. Lee Peacock, Ashley Westwood and Michael Pook all came through training tests during the week, and Barry Corr started despite still suffering a back injury.

Meanwhile Walsall manager Richard Money could call upon his own Westwood, Chris, who returned after a shoulder injury. Scott Dann's broken metatarsal however ruled him out.

The last match of the regular season would dictate the destination of the League Two championship trophy, and the final automatic promotion spot.

Walsall kicked off towards the Town End into the sun and it was as early as the third minute when Lee Peacock's ball found Christian Roberts. As the Welshman ran at goal he failed to notice any one of three well placed team mates and was dispossessed. Then a Jack Smith shot was deflected over for a corner, from which Jerel Ifil's header was collected by Walsall goalkeeper Ince.

Then it was Sofiene Zaaboub's turn to cause the visitors trouble when his cross brought confusion in the Saddlers' penalty area. Swindon were having the better of the opening exchanges.

After ten minutes though the visitors brought a smart save from Phil Smith from a free kick, then Jerel Ifil's header was fielded by Ince as the tempo showed no sign of slackening.

The crowd were next to add to the atmosphere as the whisper went around the County Ground that Accrington Stanley had gone a goal up at MK Dons, giving Town further breathing space. Ince came out on top from a Ifil shot, then Blair Sturrock tried his luck with a chip on the edge of the Walsall penalty area that cleared the bar.

Then the atmosphere was cranked up again when ex-Town loan striker Trevor Benjamin chased down a ball in Town's box. Phil Smith and Ifil got into a terrible mix-up and Ifil was on the floor when he captured the loose ball and prevented Benjamin a clear run on an open goal.

The ball was swiftly despatched through midfield by Town and a sweeping move involving Pook, Corr, Sturrock, Zaaboub and Nicholas saw Ince claim a cross from under his own cross bar.

A Swindon corner in first half stoppage time was met by a firm Nicholas header which went high and wide.

Halftime Swindon Town 0 Walsall 0

Two minutes into the second period, a great Roberts cross was cleared as it was destined to be met by Zaaboub's head, then Peacock's headed attempt was desperately scrambled off the Saddlers' goal line.

Finally on 51 minutes, clever work from Sturrock claimed Town a corner and from Zaaboub's delivery Jerel Ifil powered in to plant an unstoppable header past Ince and give Town the lead.

Then Zaaboub whipped in another cross and Corr almost connected in another goalmouth scramble in the six-yard box, then Demontagnac was swiftly shut down at the other end of the pitch. Both sets of supporters had an ear to a match elsewhere in the country, and with Walsall hearing that Hartlepool were beating Bristol Rovers, the Black Country club needed to score to retain their interest in the championship trophy.

A bizarre incident on the hour during which the referee steadfastly refused to look at his linesman who was indicating a throw-in, resulted in Walsall manager Richard Money being dismissed to the stands for protesting.

A Walsall free-kick was conceded when Gerrard upended Roberts after excellent determination by Corr but the spot kick came to little, then once more a Roberts run ended when the midfielder failed to release any of three well positioned colleagues.

The airwaves then surrendered that Bristol Rovers had taken the lead at Hartlepool and a huge cheer emanated from the away end. Should all scores stay the same, both sides would be celebrating at 5 o'clock.

The clock was ticking down the last seconds of the season with the game into added time, when Dean Keates latched onto a loose ball and fired a spectacular shot past the flailing Smith in Swindon goal.

The scores were level, but a point would secure Swindon's promotion, and as the final whistles blew around the country, both teams at the County Ground broke into celebration.

Swindon Town: P Smith, J Smith(A Westwood 19mins), Vincent, Zaaboub, Ifil, Roberts (Y37mins), Peacock, Corr (Y59mins, Jutkiewicz 88mins), Nicholas, Pook (Y54mins), Sturrock. Subs: Brown, Jutkiewicz, Timlin, A Westwood, James.

Walsall: Ince, Pead, Fox, Gerrard (Y67 mins), C Westwood, Dobson, Butler, Keates (Y59 mins), Harper, Demontagnac (Sam 62 mins), Benjamin, (Wrack 77 mins). Subs: Wrack, Sam, Wright, E Smith, Bossu

Att: 14,741