L1: Walsall 0 Yeovil Town 1

Match report by Cruncher

A crucial result that made the difference between ourselves or Walsall being the current bottom club.

This hugely important 1-0 win was the deserved outcome for a display that was impressive in all departments, save for the taking of chances and a few wasted place kicks. The Yeovil cause was certainly helped by a toothless and unimaginative Saddlers, who were further hindered by fielding an understrength front line. Yeovil though were positive and fluent from the start, and on balance of play their win was deserved by some distance. It could have been one of those matches where superiority on the day didn't bear fruit, but thankfully Adam Virgo scotched that worry with a majestic second-half header: perfect in timing, placement and power.

Terry Skiverton dropped one of his wingers in Andy Williams to accommodate all of the Welsh midfield contingent as well as Sam Williams, which gave good team balance on the day. The front two of big Sam and Dean Bowditch covered miles giving the opposition plenty to concentrate on defensively throughout, providing for Yeovil options both short and long. In parts some pacey combined play was scintillating with players wisely using freedom to get forward. The other components under the heading of 'commitment to the cause' such as covering and tracking back, closing down, and sheer doggedness with a clear will to win were also very apparent and indeed very good.

As with our midfield, on this occasion I am going to be guided by Welsh influence and rate the players. Right, here we go:

13. Stephen Henderson - 8/10: Strong display that stopped Walsall nicking an undeserved point or more. In tune with the back four, good distribution with safe tidying up and handling. Not over-busy but saved well including a few notable good 'uns.

8. Luke Ayling - 8/10: We have another proper right-back, no doubt about that on this showing. Defensively very good, and joined the attack very effectively, especially first-half with a couple flair moments.

5. Paul Huntington - 8/10: Always effective and at times classy, this boy has great potential. Made it very awkward for opposition attackers, commanding in the air and can play the ball from the back but knows when and how to hoof. Proper centre-half, well done lad.

19. Adam Virgo - 8*/10: Constantly doing the right thing on and off the ball, even switching the play with accurate cross-field passes - what a signing. Too tight to give him a nine, so will give him the star for the goal, classy header.

6. Nathan Smith - 8/10: Outstanding first-half, would have been my MOM if not for Virgo's goal. A tackle or two was from a higher league, won important headers, all-round effective and back to being top of his game. Passed well under pressure and purposefully surged forward.

24. Gavin Williams - 7/10: Some good midfield work both centrally and out wider, plenty of effort, not back to his best but will get there, not got his fitness again yet or his place-kick consistency either, but did pick Virgo out beautifully for the goal.

25. Shaun MacDonald - 8/10: The decisive all-round midfield display of the day, hard-working with craft, pity he didn't score when through on goal - saved painfully by Jon Brain's nose, which brought sustained merry chanting of 'Shaun MacDonald broke your nose, ee-i-ee-i-o'.

20. Owain Tudur Jones - 7/10: Goodish with occasional brighter spots, put through MacDonald with a lovely ball. Seems a bit static sometimes such as when options are needed at throw-ins, but overall did ok in what was today a case of thank Yr Arglwydd Dduw for the Welsh midfielders. Until JPK nabs his spot to further improve balance and shielding of the back four, he's holding the fort well enough with a sporadic bit of spark here and there.

11. Andy Welsh - 7/10: Positive and probing, had a firm header that was blocked and a notable bit of important defensive covering in the right-back area (which ISTR he also had an admirable moment of so-doing at Huddersfield). Pity about the wayward shot and a rogue cross or two, some mixed views are voiced about him but my view is the doubters are a bit harsh.

10. Dean Bowditch - 7/10: Good contribution, worked hard all game, threatened and linked up well. Also put in a crucial defensive foot towards the end.

9. Sam Williams - 8/10: Strong display of centre-forward play that helped the cause in all areas, ran and chased all game to make options and close down, received and laid off very well under pressure, instrumental in stretching their backline and in many fast flowing moves and unlucky with a thumping header that went just over. Should perhaps have scored when through and maybe still should have had a penalty for that effort. On this showing, looked back to full strength and fitness and I believe goals will come.

Subs:
7. Andy Williams - 7/10 (68 mins for Andy Welsh): As with Welsh, cropped up on both wings and made a positive contribution going forward and tracking back. Looked to have ripped through like a tin-opener from a tight angle but just lost it as about to pull the trigger.

2. Craig Alcock - 7/10 (87 minutes for Gavin Williams): Not on long enough to get a mark but gets one anyway because I'm in happy mood after waiting since Stockport for an away win and he did have a couple or so good moments in that short time.

Today's opponents were not strong, also undoubtedly hindered by injuries to their preferred frontmen. The crowd figure of 3,127 comes as a surprise because it appeared on the eye to be less than the 3,000-mark actually seated in the ground. Walsall fans tend to be a talkative cheery bunch, but it is clear that they are facing a difficult time ahead. A quieter home crowd would be harder to find that to the point that I did wonder if a vow of silence had been arranged as some sort of protest. They have some things right, as Brizzol Glover (whom it was a pleasure for me to meet yesterday) noted on The Green Room 2: shame we couldn't have brought home their cracking supporters club. With their struggle for gates and now status both going so badly, it highlights the need for us to at least maintain what we've got.

Another pleasure was meeting John Sullivan on the train. If his is typical of the character and attitude of the young players at the club, then we are recruiting the right stuff and also it is clear that they value what the club offers to them. And a mention too for the fantastic continuous singing led by the younger supporters, well done and keep it going lads.

Next week's Rochdale test will be much sterner and will give a clearer guide of how well the improvement on the pitch is going. League One is proving to be as competitive as ever. Just a fortnight ago after letting in four goals at The Galpharm many were predicting Huddersfield to storm this League, yet a Yeovil win next week combined with a loss for The Terriers would see both teams on the same points. As the manager says, not to get too down in defeat or too up when we win, especially as this was a narrow win against weak opposition. If we push on from this result we will be alright, but we must look to take more of our chances.

Cruncher