Late Lee Novak goal earns Chesterfield FA Cup replay with Walsall
Lee Novak's late goal kept Chesterfield in the FA Cup as the Spireites held Walsall to a 1-1 draw in their second round tie at a windswept Proact Stadium.
Jason Demetriou's deflected first-half effort looked to have put Walsall into the third round but Novak struck in the 89th minute to earn a replay.
Walsall went in front in the 19th minute when Demetriou's cross from the right deflected off Richard Wood and looped over Tommy Lee.
Saddlers goalkeeper Neil Etheridge was relieved to see a Lee Novak shot float wide with him stranded on the edge of the penalty area in the 25th minute, but Walsall went close to a second when George Evans fired the wrong side of a post in the 38th minute.
Milan Lalkovic was denied by a great tackle from Drew Talbot in the 47th minute and four minutes later, Paul Downing's header was cleared off the line with Lee beaten.
Etheridge made a double save from Novak and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake in the 61st minute and Chesterfield went close three times in the 72nd minute through Dan Gardner twice and Ebanks-Blake.
But Novak got the equaliser Chesterfield deserved in the 89th minute when a free-kick was turned in by the striker from close range.
Source: PA
