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Full Time After Extra Time This is a live match. Extra Time Half Time

Walsall vs Brentford. Sky Bet League One.

Bescot StadiumAttendance3,154.

Walsall 3

  • J Macken (40th minute, 64th minute)
  • J Cook (57th minute)

Brentford 2

  • P Balkestein (30th minute)
  • L Grabban (62nd minute)

Macken eases Saddlers' fears

Image: Macken: Netted a brace for the Saddlers

Jon Macken scored twice to help ease Walsall's relegation fears with a narrow 3-2 home win over battling Brentford.

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.

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