WALSALL 2 CITY 1
IT WAS a chant from City’s past – and one that will have sent a few shivers down the spines of those with a good memory.
“Oh, Albert Adomah” rang out from the gleeful Black Country choir as Walsall celebrated late victory.
It’s 16 years since the Bantams first suffered from Adomah’s twinkling feet when he used to race up the wing for Barnet.
Three goals against City during Stuart McCall’s first managerial spell marked him out as a nemesis during those early days trying to clamber out of the fourth tier.
Since then, Adomah has spent almost a full career in the Championship – barring a couple of Premier League outings in Middlesbrough colours.
But now he’s back in League Two and once more renewing his one-sided relationship with City.
Approaching his 37th birthday in December, the Walsall winger is an impact sub these days – and he certainly made a telling impact in settling a topsy-turvy encounter at the Bescot.
Adomah had only been on the pitch for six minutes when he found the space to whip a cross onto the unmarked head of fellow substitute Danny Johnson to guide beyond City keeper Sam Walker.
And City’s fightback from a wobbly first half was condemned to end with nothing.
They could not point the finger elsewhere for the decisive goal as Johnson slipped between centre halves Cheick Diabate and Jack Shepherd, who were both left looking at each other for an explanation into why neither jumped with him.
But it put the lid on the frustration that had bubbled on an afternoon when everything seemed to conspire against them.
Diabate and Shepherd are currently the only fit centre halves in the senior squad after Neill Byrne and Ciaran Kelly both joined the absent Aden Baldwin on City’s growing casualty list.
Byrne’s departure straight after Walsall’s first goal and Kelly’s at half-time forced Graham Alexander to resort to a back four.
It was something he had not done since his second game in charge and the Damascus moment during the interval at Notts County. But he had no choice after running out of options.
Having got within touching distance of what would have been a very good point only heightened the pain of their late concession.
The fact that it sprung from a quickly-taken free-kick from a hotly-disputed foul – in City’s eyes anyway – just increased the travelling angst.
Alexander fumed all afternoon about the standard of officiating or rather the direction of the decisions from referee Lewis Smith.
The Bantams boss felt his team got the rough end of 50/50 calls throughout the game and referenced the contrasting fortunes of both attacks.
Jamille Matt, who played under Alexander for Fleetwood, gave away one early foul in his typically-combative 78 minutes leading the Walsall line.
Vadaine Oliver, thrown on five minutes later, only touched the ball three times but was penalised for two challenges and got booked.
The second of those fouls from his aerial clash with Taylor Allen set the platform for Walsall’s late winner.
Alexander, one of seven Bantams to be yellow-carded by Smith after an earlier complaint about his display, did not mince his words after the final whistle. But the damage had been done.
We all know about League Two refereeing standards – but the Wigan official’s previous outing had been at Ipswich against Fulham in the Premier League. Perhaps there’s something in the air.
Not that disputed decisions were the real reason for City coming up short.
They were made to pay for not ramming home their advantage when on top for a large chunk of the second half.
The juiciest chance during that spell of pressure saw four blue shirts conspire to somehow miss from six yards out with the goal at their mercy.
Alex Pattison, who arrived in the half-time reshuffle, started it when he picked off a careless pass from Connor Barrett.
Clarke Oduor took the ball on, drew in two defenders, and rolled a pass towards Jamie Walker and Andy Cook unmarked in the right side of the Walsall box.
The offside flag seemed Walsall’s only escape but that stayed down as the City fans behind the goal prepared to celebrate.
Cook, with five goals in his previous seven encounters with his old club, advanced on keeper Tommy Simkin from an angle.
But he chose not to shoot and instead laid the ball square for a team-mate to apply the killer touch.
Unfortunately, it ran past Walker and the on-rushing Olly Sanderson – and Oduor could not get his feet right in time as the ball scuffed off his right foot and past the post.
It was an astonishing miss and City would soon feel the consequences.
Cook did test Simkin with a well-struck header during a flurry of corners but the biggest and best moment had been squandered.
Instead, it would be another north-east striker who would grab the glory as Johnson claimed his first goal since being laid low by a viral infection.
City had been the last visiting team to triumph at the Bescot, where Walsall have now won five times this season – including twice against League One opposition in the Carabao Cup.
Huddersfield were one of those victims as the Saddlers came from two down to win – just as the Bantams had done in that eventful April encounter.
On a ground where City had won four of their previous five trips, Alexander’s men were faced with doing it the hard way again after falling behind.
Byrne’s injury was certainly a factor in the first goal after a delay while he convinced a doubting bench that his hamstring issue was just a bad case of cramp.
When play resumed, Walsall targeted the Irishman straight away and he was exposed by Nathan Lowe’s pace running towards the box.
A cutback for Charlie Lakin ended with the midfielder tumbling under Richie Smallwood’s attempted recovery tackle.
The City skipper’s pleas that he got the ball – and replays suggested he might have had a case – fell on deaf ears as Taylor Allen sent Sam Walker the wrong way from the spot.
Walker had already atoned for that freak blunder against Carlisle by foiling Matt from close range with an outstretched leg.
And he topped that by spreading himself to deny Lowe as he went through one-on-one with the keeper.
City had also survived a far more confident shout for a second penalty when Lowe was knocked down. The afternoon was threatening to get a lot more painful.
But then came the fightback, led by Jamie Walker doing what he does best.
The Scot was a central figure the last time the sides met and he had his say again when he pounced on a loose touch from Allen just over halfway.
Just as he had done for the first goal against Carlisle, Walker sensed the opportunity from a defender’s blunder and stole in.
He had more ground to cover this time but did so effectively before squaring for Sanderson to open up his body and stroke home his third goal in City colours.
An old school 4-4-2 approach through necessity escaped early teething troubles as Matt skewed his shot when free on goal.
City grew into the second half and looked good for a point at least – until an old foe decided to turn back the clock.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel