Macken boosts Saddlers' survival hopes
Veteran striker Jon Macken scored twice to help ease Walsall's relegation fears with a narrow 3-2 win over battling Brentford at the Banks's Stadium.
The Bees were the better side in the early stages and took the lead after 30 minutes when big central defender Pim Balkestein scored with a diving header from a Sam Saunders corner.
Walsall were struggling to put their passes together but got back into the match five minutes before half-time when a long clearance from Saddlers' keeper James Walker - making his 500th appearance for the club - was only partially cleared to Macken who equalised with a spectacular volley.
Walsall moved in front for the first time in the 57th minute when winger Jordan Cook, on-loan from Sunderland, received from Darren Byfield and turned quickly to drive a low shot past Simon Moore, for his first goal for the club.
But a mistake by Walsall defender Richard Taundry let in Lewis Grabban to equalise from an acute angle three minutes later, but within two minutes the Saddlers grabbed the winner, as Macken was on the spot to jab in his eighth of the season when a fierce cross-shot from Julian Gray was too hot for Moore to hold on to.
Walsall 3-2 Brentford: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.
Source: DSG
