Preston North End (H) League 1 Saturday 15/10/11.

[Louise]

Despite the best efforts of the Ref who to put it politely had an awful game we deserved this victory.
Butler was immense - think he won every header. Nicholls goal and the assist were superb and at times we played some lovely fluent Football.
We seem to raise our game against better Teams - we need to do it all the time and find a level of consistency.
Great game,lovely sunny Weather to sit in and Tinned your rants at the Ref kept me entertained. :wink:

[Darth Vader]

Great enjoyable game, 3 points against the MASSIVE Preston North End, sun was out, Bliss!

Bring on Tranmere...

[wednesburysaddler]

just got back from what i thought was a highly entertaining game.
walsall were well on top from first whistle to last as i must admit preston just didnt turn up.
i think chambers through ball for nicholls was superb and our midfield today was tight and seem to intercept a lot pf preston through balls.
when the ball did get into our box there was manny smith or butler to block and then build from the back.

the hoofing has seemed to gone from out of our game today and the passing was a warm welcome on the bankss pitch.
i dont really remember walker having any significant save to make today and without doubt if we play like this well climb the table.

i was really surprised how poor preston were today given their league position and recent results but even for the last 20 mins when we were harshly down to 10 men they didnt seem with it and was pleasing to see the saddlers hold out although we were never under any serious pressure.

wont mark players today as they all deserve ten out of ten for a very pleasing afternoon in the beautiful october sun just a bit miffed that hurst didnt pass accross the goal with 5 mins to go to certainly double our lead with nicholls unmarked for a tap in.

4 games unbeaten 6 points out of 12 maybe we can build an unbeaten run and look upwards in that table

[Cully]

Just checked the odds on a Walsall win, 12/5 at the moment. Ditto the draw, with Preston at 11/10 for the win.

Hmm probably wasting my money but maybe worth a little wager on a double chance ie Walsall win or draw would give you odds of 4/6, not a bad return.

I love it when a plan comes together :D

[Darth Vader]

Giving Mellor a huge amount of stick was a personal highlight for me.

[priestley_saddler]

Would anyone care to explain what all the fuss, worrying and negativity was about??? :wink:

To be fair, hailing that all is now well again in WS1 would probably as over the top as starting a Smith Out? thread after a couple of bad results, but hey, each to their own.

This was a far more commanding 1-0 home win than the one against Orient on the opening day, and we even looked comfortable with ten men (no complaints about the red). Wacka didn't have a save to make all game and we generally bossed the game. We looked aggressive, confident, sharp and dangerous on the break, thanks in part to the dynamic duo upfront of Grigg (best game of the season despite not scoring) and Nicholls (best game he's ever played for the club). There wasn't a bad player on the pitch in red, and even the ref had a good game!!! I wonder how much of that is down to the fact there was just a single change from last week and not the wholesale changes we've recently seen?

I imagine Preston are capable of playing much better but the fact is today they didn't and we achieved what was for the most part a fairly comfortable 1-0 win. Whatever Deano said to the boys before the game and whatever they've been working on in training this week has clearly worked and lets hope its a sign of us turning a corner. I don't really expect us to turn in that level of performance every week simply because I don't think we have the consistency to produce it, but in the same way we're not relegation fodder after an away point at Wycombe. It's a very good performance but what's important now is following it up at Tranmere. We're unbeaten in the league in October and 3 unbeaten at home, so things seem to have a lot more of a positive spin on them tonight, but lets not get too carried away. UTS!

Walker - Had very little to do but managed to perfect the art of running down the clock while looking like you're hurrying up to good effect. Don't remember him making a save, which is testament to the ten men in front of him.
Westlake - Seems to be returning to his best following his absence from the team in September, got forward well and made a couple of telling tackles.
Sadler - Produced his usual game. With Sadler, the better he seems to have played, the worse the team have been. The fact I hardly noticed him today tells you how well the rest played.
Butler - His best game of the season. Had Mellor in his pocket in the first half and was basically back to his best. Lets hope he stays there.
Smith - I said last week that although I prefer Lancashire I hope he now keeps his place for a while now that Deano has decided he prefers him. Seems to be growing in confidence and did nothing wrong today.
Chambers - After the equaliser last week he seemed to be remember why he'd been signed and started bossing the midfield, and picked up today where he left off at Wycombe. No complaints with his yellow card with the tackle that put Mellor out the game; Preston will argue it should have been a red but it wasn't, ref got it right. My only surprise is that it was Martin, rather than Chambers, who commited a second bookable tackle as he rode his luck from time to time in the second half.
Peterlin - Taundry said in the week he wants his place back. Well tough, he's not going to get it if Peterlin keeps this up. Linked the play very well and would have added another contender to the Bescot Goal Of The Season competition if not for a brilliant goal line clearance by the man on the post.
Martin - I'm not sure but I think this was the last game of his loan? I'd send him back for a week til his suspension clears and then re-sign him. Is improving game on game but blotted the copybook by picking up two bookings, but can't really grumble at his performance. We look a lot more balanced now with him on the left.
Hurst - And a lot more balanced with him on the right. Played a sublime ball for Nicholls for the goal...and a hopeless one when switched back to the left when Nicholls was in acres of space and he over hit the pass by a pitch and a half. Still his best game for the club though.
Nicholls - Also his best game for the club, by a street. The fact that I expect nearly all of our fans to agree with the sponsors in naming him MOTM, even when Butler and Chambers were both at the top of their game, tells you how well he played. Ran his socks off, scored the winner and genuinely looked like a footballer. Also played the lone striker role really well in the last 20 minutes.
Grigg - Despite the fact he's scored three this season, and didn't today, he still had his best game of the season. Hard work isn't usually a phrase we associate with Grigg, but he put a shift in today and as a team we reeped the benefits of that.

Subs

Taundry - Went wide right when Martin came off. Did ok but didn't have a great impact.
Gnakpa - Brought on as a time wasting exercise.

[latviancheese]

Fantstic win, but its only good if you build on it. Sounds like we grew in confidence as the game wore on too.

[latviancheese]

Fantstic win, but its only good if you build on it. Sounds like we grew in confidence as the game wore on too.

Really pleased Nicholls had another productive game. Sounds like we utilised his pace for the goal.

UTS

[boringteacher]

Fantstic win, but its only good if you build on it. Sounds like we grew in confidence as the game wore on too.

Really pleased Nicholls had another productive game. Sounds like we utilised his pace for the goal.

UTS

By far his best game for the team. We played footie, they hoofed it - and it'll probably work against most teams in the division if they have the same dumb effer of a ref who allowed their two meathead 6'6'' centre forwards to barge, elbow, climb for the entire game without a freekick being given for it until the 75th minute. Butler and Smith were both immense and I dont think wacka made a save until about that time as well.

No idea where that performance came from, though Peterlin was super alongside the excellent Chambers. I've never been as critical of Nicholls as some on here, though dogface's decision to give him a 2 year contract was ludicrous. What playing him up front did was to stretch their very slow defence, something that Grigg/Macken/Jarvis combined with fairly slow wingers cannot do - all season, teams have been able to defend high without worry, today PNE couldn't. After that performance, Smith should challenge him to reproduce it - and give him 3/4 games to do it. If Nicholls cant do that, I'd still frankly get think about getting shut in the summer. Take your chance Al, its probably your last I think - I know he's a genuinely nice bloke having worked with his Uncle.

[Duke]

Much improved performance and much needed win , hope we can build on this and it's not just a one off .

Message to Dean Smith we are a much better side when we keep the ball on the deck .

[brackley]

...... CALLING ALL SADDLERS FANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come on fella's ........ the anticipation of another game awaits us. The smell of a fresh Autumn afternoon as the mighty reds take the field to do battle with up north.

If we take the terraces with a defeatest attitude before a flamin balls kicked what chance do we have ........... we are as good as handing them a goal advantage by allowing them to come and p*ss all over our back-yard whilst we sit their squeaking like mice expecting the worst. :evil:

I for one aint havin it.........

We have our part to play, win or lose! Come 4.45, if we then want to all share with each-other our punditry wisdom of the game then we can all compare notes after, me included :roll:

........... lets apply a little bit of sports psychology for once, some positivity on the terraces will transmit to the players and if we support them this way, they will start to believe it and all of a sudden distinctly average players become decent players :D

Lets help to start turning our season around - we all know winning our home games is a must, starting from tomorrow!

Lets stand united, shoulder to shoulder and send the North End right back up their own-end!

A Walsall win tomorrow with a single goal separating the two sides :D

Ah! now I understand....Brackley, poor bloke has just woken from a coma, induced by over embibing after the euphoria of the celebrations following our promotion win at Swindon! I'll bring you up to date my friend...we sold that team for twopence and a bucket of gravel, we now have a team of missfits wearing the shirts porporting to be Walsall players, and they aint very good! Hence the graveyard atmos at the Bezza, the slide down the table and "the Mangement making preporations for life in the Fourth Division"

On a serious note I'm with you all the way...come on me babbies we can do it (as long as Mellor goes of injured of course)
we could get a win out of this one!

YEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

:wink:

[Ancient Moaner]

...... CALLING ALL SADDLERS FANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come on fella's ........ the anticipation of another game awaits us. The smell of a fresh Autumn afternoon as the mighty reds take the field to do battle with up north.

If we take the terraces with a defeatest attitude before a flamin balls kicked what chance do we have ........... we are as good as handing them a goal advantage by allowing them to come and p*ss all over our back-yard whilst we sit their squeaking like mice expecting the worst. :evil:

I for one aint havin it.........

We have our part to play, win or lose! Come 4.45, if we then want to all share with each-other our punditry wisdom of the game then we can all compare notes after, me included :roll:

........... lets apply a little bit of sports psychology for once, some positivity on the terraces will transmit to the players and if we support them this way, they will start to believe it and all of a sudden distinctly average players become decent players :D

Lets help to start turning our season around - we all know winning our home games is a must, starting from tomorrow!

Lets stand united, shoulder to shoulder and send the North End right back up their own-end!

A Walsall win tomorrow with a single goal separating the two sides :D

Ah! now I understand....Brackley, poor bloke has just woken from a coma, induced by over embibing after the euphoria of the celebrations following our promotion win at Swindon! I'll bring you up to date my friend...we sold that team for twopence and a bucket of gravel, we now have a team of missfits wearing the shirts porporting to be Walsall players, and they aint very good! Hence the graveyard atmos at the Bezza, the slide down the table and "the Mangement making preporations for life in the Fourth Division"

On a serious note I'm with you all the way...come on me babbies we can do it (as long as Mellor goes of injured of course)
we could get a win out of this one!

YEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

:wink:

A Saturday night on the pop actualy CELEBRATING instead of drowning our sorrows, what a change.... :) :) :) :) :)

They only came to see the Saddlers, came to see the Saddlers, they only came to see the Saddlers!!!!! :D :D :D

[belgiansaddler]

1-0 to us to continue our unbeaten run and end their's :D

4900 with 1900 norfenders

You been on the pop again Belgian? :?

I will be now :D

Think I might do the lottery tonight!

[brackley]

Every single player was on the money........ what a difference!!

Wacka might as well have put the deck-chair out n read the newspaper........ not a shot on target all game.

Apart from a spell in the early part of the second half we looked comfortable throughout :)

Whilst this was a good team performance, I would like to single out; Butler, Smith, Chambers and Nicholls - all were outstanding today. Just shows that when the spine of the team holds firm we start to look like a decent unit.

For me, our shape and discipline throughout was awesome. Having got our noses in front we frustrated them and allowed them to play in front of us and down the channels where they couldnt hurt us, we covered well and the work-rate/tempo was there for all to see........ we werent cramped in the middle, we found space and made the angles and ran in to space........ we played intelligent balls wide for the front men to peel off :D :D :D :D

Credit where credit is due............ we made a good side look very average, weve just got to do this week in week out now!

Nicholls was a flamin revelation, he has set the standards now and if he plays like that every week he will be bagging goals for sure....!

....... even the young lad Griggs turned up today - well done fella! still lots to learn, but made some good runs, came short and played some good link-up play without necessarily threatening. A big improvement from what ive seen in previous games and against good opposition.

This has really made by weekend............ BIG TIME!!! Absolutely tremendous :D :D :D :D :D

DEAN SMITHS BARMY ARMY............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tinned]

Not bad was it, especially considering it was 10 v 12.

[mel58]

A superb performance. To echo what others have said, Nicholls had his best 90 minutes ever in a Walsall shirt. Never mind looked like a footballer, he actually looked like a striker! Intelligence, tenacity and lots and lots of running.
I thought Martin was very unfortunate to see red. His first half booking was questionable and the challenge prior to his sending off was no worse than Chambers' one on Mellor.

I thought this was the type of game where there was going to be at least one red card, given Preston's in your face (sometimes literally) approach, especially in the first half. I'm glad we didn't get intimidated and brushed aside.

Praise all round - not a weak link in the side

[SWS1]

:D :D :D :D :D
Oh, deep joy delightyfold.

[Aldridge_saddler]

So happy for Nicholls!!!!
Ref was TERRIBLE!
Back four was solid,
Never a red not even a foul,
Delighted for Nicholls,
Grigg is so casual he belongs in Jamaica or a malibu advert,
Chambers cut everything out and bossed midfield,
Hurst needs to look up,
Nicholls is on fire!
I love beards.

and I love UTS!!!!


Oh and Nicholls was my MOM. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[Chapin]

Overall a very good team performance. What was pleasing was to see us play with width. How often when we have a goal kick do we see players compacted into a quarter of the pitch. Today we had a player out on their respective touchlines. What this did was stretch the Preston defence wide and allow Nicholl to chase into the open spaces.

First 10 minutes showed why Preston were a Championship side. Good movement with and without the ball but didn't threaten Wacka's goal. Then we scored and the game changed. We had a lot more confidence and moved the ball on the floor. Helps with Peterlin being available to take the ball and pass to the same colour shirt. Game was more even with us being the more threatening.

The game changed again with Chambers putting Mellor out of the game. Preston were not the same after that.

2nd half we maintained our shape and frustrated them. We had chances to increase the lead but poor final passes let us down. Preston were poor second half and just played hoof ball and Manny (anyone else notice him being ill early in the half) and Butler won everything despite the flailing arms of their number 9. Even when we were down to 10 men the only time I was anxious was at free kicks.

Standard has been set. Up to the lads to maintain it. A very useful 3 points. Had we lost we'd have been in the relegation zone -only 2 points above it with them.

[Sadsfan]

Thought Nicholls was immense todat, but don't agree with Grigg as he ambles about and doesn't chase the ball and sits too deep. Just an observation, why when we are defending a corner do we not leave at least one player up front. We have 11 players back defending and when we clear the ball it just comes straight back, crazy. I noticed that PNE (possibly the fattest team I've seen for many a year - Since Gary Brabin got sent off playing for Doncaster and showing his belly in response to taunts of who ate all the pies) left 2 players up front whilst defending a corner.

[PT]

Chuffed to bits. Couldn't make it today but absolutely over the moon at the result and the reports people have posted on this thread.

Also happy that Exile's link to the PNE site contained a thread that had a Trojan Record contained within it, vinyl spinning away there with some of that old moonstomping.

Magic!!

[brackley]

..........Gutted i cant make next weeks game. Will have my ear glued to the radio and the updates from the UTS posse :)

[Exile]

Most impressed.

Story now up. Thanks Brackley!

http://upthesaddlers.com/wp/archives/20 ... north-end/

[tape66]

Match report.

Missed the Goal, had many pints, we won, Bentos has a lovely beard.

[Red Adair]

Something that I will never understand. Walsall beating Preston 1-0, ten minutes to go, down to 10 men, battling to win at home and hundreds of supporters get up and head for the exits. Unbelievable! I know that they are trying to beat the traffic but what are they rushing home for? Are they afraid of missing the opening sequences of "Strictly Come Dancing"? Would someone please explain it to me!

[Darth Vader]

Something that I will never understand. Walsall beating Preston 1-0, ten minutes to go, down to 10 men, battling to win at home and hundreds of supporters get up and head for the exits. Unbelievable! I know that they are trying to beat the traffic but what are they rushing home for? Are they afraid of missing the opening sequences of "Strictly Come Dancing"? Would someone please explain it to me!

I know mate..crazy if you ask me...

[Graydon48]

Something that I will never understand. Walsall beating Preston 1-0, ten minutes to go, down to 10 men, battling to win at home and hundreds of supporters get up and head for the exits. Unbelievable! I know that they are trying to beat the traffic but what are they rushing home for? Are they afraid of missing the opening sequences of "Strictly Come Dancing"? Would someone please explain it to me!

I know mate..crazy if you ask me...

Don't tell Tinned, he had a pop at me for leaving at full time.

[SWS1]

Who's this Schadenfreude we've signed who scored our goal, according to the UTS match report? I thought Nicholls was our scorer.
Anyway, I've got the feeling that this new signing will give us a lot of malicious enjoyment of other's misfortunes over the longer term. Well done, Smithy. Good signing. Keep trawling those German lower leagues.
:D

[King Crimson]

Who's this Schadenfreude we've signed who scored our goal, according to the UTS match report? I thought Nicholls was our scorer.
Anyway, I've got the feeling that this new signing will give us a lot of malicious enjoyment of other's misfortunes over the longer term. Well done, Smithy. Good signing. Keep trawling those German lower leagues.
:D

If he does well though, I may have to take out a second mortgage to have his name put on the back of my shirt. :(

[King Crimson]

:D :D :D :D :D
Oh, deep joy delightyfold.

"Peter Purves! John Inman! Nick Park! Can you hear me? Andrew Flintoff! Can you hear me? Mark Lawrenson! Mark Lawrenson! Your boys took a hell of a beating!"

:D