Walsall suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Preston North End in a performance which was as bad as the result suggested. Fatigue from the previous Stoke game on the Wednesday was one excuse suggested by manager Dean Smith. Too many players had a off day. Too many passes were misplaced. It was a generally poor performance which, hopefully, was just a one off.
Our visitors set off as they meant to go on, closing Walsall down well and forging ahead in attack when they could. It seems that gradually teams have worked out how to play and stop Saddlers. North End showed the way as an attacking unit though, forcing several corners and keeper Richard O'Donnell was kept busy in the early stages. It was felt that it would only be a matter of time before Walsall fell behind and on the half hour mark North End took the lead. Walsall's Mal Benning fouled Beven on the edge of the area. The resulting free kick from Byrom eluded everyone and flew into the net. After the break PNE increased their lead when Benning failed to cut out cut out the threat of Humpries who zipped past him and fired home. The third was even worse- the young full back sliced a ball into the path of ex-Saddler Lee Holmes who slotted home for their third.
