Half Time :  Saddlers 1:0 Seagulls

The second half was completely different, as Brighton began to take control. Bazeley and Aranalde were being pushed further and further back, so we were playing, in effect, a 5 3 2.

Fortunately, Barrett, the young forward on loan from Arsenal, was completely ineffective and Zamora was a mixture of good and very, very bad. All the same, it took the woodwork three times (twice from Zamora, who should have done much better with the one chance), a superb goal line clearance from Roper, one good and one miraculous save from Jimmy Walker to keep the clean sheet.
In return, Zdrilic produce one good save from Beasant and there was a blocked shot from Corica, just before he was brought off for Emblen.

The problem today was the over run midfield, where no one was able to impose themselves, although Emblen did show some signs of doing so when he came on. The formation did not work against a similar line up and their three in the centre of the park received much better support from the wing backs, leaving us over run there.
Meanwhile, with Wrack missing, there was no clear alternatives today to that formation.

Barras looked a shadow of the player last week, except when the ball was in the air, the front two had no possession and the defence was caught out too many times.

Still, it was three points and the gap has opened up a little more. I've suffered from too many hard luck stories in the past to have that much sympathy for Brighton. In the end It was only the woodwork and keeper Walker that prevented the Saddlers from being on the wrong end of total humiliation

Walsall were unable to pass to each other, unable to mark opposition players, unable to take throw ins and unable to compete in what was a totally disgraceful performance.

A word for the referee, who I thought had a decent game (which is more than can be said for the linesman in front of the Banks' second half).

Man of the match? For me, a toss up between Jimmy Walker and the frame of the goal at the Purple Stand end.