Walsall 1 – 2 Latics: Headliner Harratt strikes again

Kian Harratt’s stoppage time winner wasn’t as dramatic or consequential as his winner in the play-off final in June, but he’s shown he’s ready to step up to fill the void left by Michael Mellon’s injury.

WALSALL 1

Kanu 49

LATICS 1

Garner 15, Harratt 90+6

6,704 (836)

Harratt was a menace when he came on against Grimsby on Boxing day, but tonight he outdid himself, scoring his first goal since that momentous strike last June, sending the 836 travelling fans into a deep guttural roar and a raucous, lengthy celebration after the final whistle. They absolutely loved it, as well they might. Last-minute goals are not Athletic’s specialism.

What a night. The first 10 minutes could easily have ended 1-1. First Walsall hit the bar and, before Latics could clear, Finley Farquharson tested Mat Hudson with a daisy cutter from distance. On eight minutes, Kai Payne became the latest Latics player to fail to score when one-on-one with the keeper. He shot straight at Myles Roberts when placing it either side of him would have given Latics the lead. He did not see or in any case did not find Garner unmarked a few yards to his right.

Latics persevered. They dominated possession and Micky Mellon’s formation and tactics unsettled Walsall. There was a suspicion when Latics lost at home to Walsall earlier in the month that his side had been too respectful of the league leaders, but now they took control of the game and Walsall had to wait for their manager to provide the answers at half time.

On 15 minutes, Woods’s inswinging corner was set to land right in the middle of the Walsall giants at the back, but Garner had peeled off beyond the far post, and now came running past all the statues lined up in the six-yard box to head it unchallenged high into the net. He went straight to the Latics technical area to celebrate with the coaches, indicating that his manoeuvre was not spontaneous.

As you would expect from the league leaders, Walsall came back into it in the second half, and their goal was a stunner. Daniel Kanu was running down the edge of the 18-yard box, going nowhere in particular. There was no cross on, and the angle was too tight to shoot, right? Wrong. Kanu put his laces and everything else through it, and Hudson had left the tiniest gap at his near post. It was a brilliant goal, after which Mat Sadler’s side at least matched Latics as the game descended in both quality and verve. Both sides had their reasons to take a draw.

The referee played his part and not in a good way. Kane Drummond was through on goal with just one man and the goalkeeper to beat. He stopped the ball on the edge of the area looking to send his man – Evan Weir – for a hotdog. Weir did not go for the hotdog, instead swiping Drummond’s feet from under him. The referee was in a great position and there is no excuse for failing to award the penalty.

The game was disrupted by substitutions, no doubt informed on both sides by the turnaround ahead of fixtures on Thursday and Sunday this week. Latics never gave up on it though, and after Harratt scored from Woods’s corner with a near-post header that went across Roberts and in at the far corner, he reprised his maniacal sprint down the Wembley touchline.

Walsall: Myles Roberts, Connor Barrett (Jid Okeke 77), Aden Flint, Priestley Farquharson (Rico Brown 36), Jamille Matt (c)(Aaron Pressley 65), Brandon Comley, Daniel Kanu (Albert Adomah 77), Courtney Clarke, Vincent Harper, Ryan Finnigan (Charlie Lakin 77), Evan Weir

Subs not used: Sam Hornby, Jamie Jellis

Latics: Mat Hudson, Reagan Ogle, Tom Pett (c), Donervon Daniels, Manny Monthé, Ryan Woods, Joe Garner (Joe Quigley 58), Kane Drummond (Kian Harratt 84), Jake Caprice, Jamie Robson, Kai Payne

Subs not used: Tom Donaghy, Will Sutton, Kieron Morris, Luke Hannant, Oli Hammond