Sheff Wed 2-1 Walsall : Match Report


By 4two
May 5 2003

Despite taking the lead early in the first half the Saddlers lost their final game of the season against already relegated Sheffield Wednesday. Sheffield Wednesday 2

Sheffield Wednesday 2-1  Walsall

 

Goals: Owusu, Quinn (SW) Matias (W)

Bookings: Holt, Mclaren (SW) Samways (W)

Referee: A Leake (Lancs)

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Sheffield Wed Pressman, Bromby, Wood, Smith, Westwood, Barry-Murphy, Quinn, Haslam, McLaren, Kuqi, Holt Subs: Stringer, Owusu, O'Donnell, Jon Shaw, Richard Evans.

Walsall: Walker, Roper, Barras, Emblen, Wrack, Aranalde, Samways, Robinson, O'Connor, Junior, Leitao. Subs: Ward, Bazeley, Corica, Matias, Lawrence.

 

 

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Report: Neil Emblen replaced Darren Bazeley in the Walsall backline as the Saddlers went 3-5-2. Jamie Lawrence made the bench after recovering from injury.

It was your typical end of season encounter with neither side really looking interested during the first half. If any side had the better of the half it was certainly the Saddlers with both Barass and Junior having good chances. Kuqi looked to be the Owls danger man, but he failed to trouble the Walsall back 3.

The second half saw Leitao and O'Connor being replaced by Matias and Lawrence. It was  Matias who sent the Saddlers in front on 56 minutes with a low shot from just inside the penalty which the Owls keeper had little chance of spotting due to the amount of boxes inside the penalty area.

The Wednesday equalizer came courtesy of Sub Lloyd Owusu who was watched by the Saddlers defenders as the ball dropped to his feet just yards away from the Walsall goal. He wasted no time in putting the ball in to the back of the net and the Owls were back in the game.

Owusu went on to dominate the closing stages of the game, providing the Owls with a physical presence in the final third (something we lacked after Jorge's substitution). He had 2 or 3 half chances and eventually laid on the winner for Owls player of the season James Quinn who hammered the ball home as Roper hesitated to make a challenge as he shot.

 

 
 

League Table


17

Walsall

46

15

9

22

57

69

54

18

Derby County

46

15

7

24

55

74

52

19

Bradford City

46

14

10

22

51

73

52

20

Cov City

46

12

14

20

46

62

50

21

Stoke City

46

12

14

20

45

69

50

22

 Wednesday

46

10

16

20

56

73

46

23

Brighton

46

11

12

23

49

67

45

24

Grimsby Town

46

9

12

25

48

84

39

 

 

 

 

 

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