AS LONG WINLESS RUN ENDED
energy to want to win the game. The young lads showed a work ethic, a togetherness, a spirit and a fight. Jimmy Smith has been brilliant for us this season.
“He’s been a real man about things, he’s not been happy being in a losing side but he’s knuckled down every day and set really high standards,”
It took Stevenage 35 min- utes to break the deadlock as Smith found himself unmarked and fired home from close range, leaving Saddlers keeper Richard O’Donnell rooted.
Three goals in the opening eight minutes of the second half followed as Milan Lalkovic found Benning, who equalised before Romaine Sawyers’ long-range effort was saved by Chris Day.
Walsall did go in front though moments later as Westcarr tapped home although the lead didn’t last long with N’Guessan being played through by Smith and calmly sliding home.
Already-relegated Stevenage completed a remarkable comeback in the 82nd minute as Freeman tapped home from close range and Walsall boss Dean Smith said: “For two thirds of the season we were a top-six team but for the last third for whatever reason we haven’t been.
“I have told them we need to reflect on the season, review it and get better.
“It’s the only thing we can do because the end of the season hasn’t been what we wanted it to be.
“It was a game we easily should have won, no disrespect to Stevenage, we bossed the game and came away with a loss and it hurts because we should have won the game but ended up losing it.”