Matt Richards hit his fifth goal of the campaign - now his best season's haul
Matt Richards hit a second-half winner as Walsall stunned promotion-chasing Charlton Athletic to climb off the bottom of the League One table.
A desperate first-half, in which both sides had just one effort on target, left it goalless at the interval.
But, seconds after Paul Benson fired wide with Charlton's first good chance, Richards won it on 69 minutes with a low shot from the edge of the box.
Walsall nearly got a second, Rob Elliot making a great save from Alex Nicholls.
Against a disappointing Charlton, who stay fourth, the Saddlers were well worth only their second away win of the season - their first since August.
While midfielder Richards struck his fifth goal of the campaign, it was also only a second shut-out of the season for Chris Hutchings' side.
Live text and stats
Sunday, 12 December 2010
Npower League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Charlton
0-1
Walsall
FT
(HT 0-0)
Richards 69
Charlton
01 Elliot
02 Francis
12 Doherty yellow card
19 Fry (Reid 46)
24 Fortune
04 Jackson
06 Semedo
07 Wagstaff (A Sodje 71)
08 Racon
23 Anyinsah (Martin 46 yellow card)
17 Benson
Substitutes
40 Hall,
28 Seip,
10 Martin,
11 Reid,
16 McCormack,
09 Abbott,
14 A Sodje
Walsall
01 Brain
02 Westlake
05 Lancashire
14 Taundry
32 Butler yellow card
03 Lescott
08 Richards
18 Gray
07 Jones
11 Nicholls
19 Grigg (Paterson 81)
Substitutes
21 Bevan,
04 McDonald,
23 McGivern,
06 Smith,
12 Marshall,
20 Geddes,
15 Paterson
Ref: PawsonAtt: 14,938
CHARLTON
WALSALL
Possession
Charlton42%
Walsall58%
Attempts on target
Charlton3
Walsall6
Attempts off target
Charlton5
Walsall10
Corners
Charlton1
Walsall10
Fouls
Charlton10
Walsall9
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+5:09 The referee signals the end of the game.
90:00+4:30 Jamie Paterson is ruled offside. Indirect free kick taken by Rob Elliot.
90:00+3:08 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Simon Francis, clearance by Andy Butler.
89:51 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Paul Benson by Oliver Lancashire. Free kick taken by Simon Francis.
89:36 Alex Nicholls takes a shot. Save by Rob Elliot.
87:39 Outswinging corner taken by Julian Gray from the left by-line, Jose Vitor Semedo manages to make a clearance.
87:08 Alex Nicholls takes a short corner.
85:29 Shot by Richard Taundry from outside the box goes high over the target.
84:57 Steve Jones takes a shot. Blocked by Johnnie Jackson. Julian Gray decides to take the corner short.
83:42 Julian Gray takes the outswinging corner, Paul Benson makes a clearance.
81:29 Jamie Paterson has a headed effort at goal from close in which goes wide left of the target.
80:37 Substitution Jamie Paterson is brought on as a substitute for William Grigg.
77:18 Alex Nicholls fouled by Jonathan Fortune, the ref awards a free kick. Oliver Lancashire takes the free kick.
76:20 Akpo Sodje is caught offside. Jon Brain takes the indirect free kick.
74:04 Effort from outside the penalty area by Alex Nicholls goes wide left of the goal.
73:00 Alex Nicholls takes a shot. Save by Rob Elliot.
70:34 Foul by Gary Doherty on William Grigg, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Andy Butler.
70:34 Substitution (Charlton) makes a substitution, with Akpo Sodje coming on for Scott Wagstaff.
70:34 Booking Gary Doherty shown a yellow card.
69:37 Lee Martin challenges Andy Butler unfairly and gives away a free kick. Jon Brain restarts play with the free kick.
69:37 Booking Lee Martin receives a caution.
68:17 Assist on the goal came from Julian Gray.
68:17 GOAL - Matthew Richards:Charlton 0 - 1 Walsall Matthew Richards gets on the score sheet with a goal from the edge of the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Charlton 0-1 Walsall.
67:27 Effort on goal by Paul Benson from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the goal.
67:01 Alex Nicholls takes a shot. Rob Elliot makes a save.
64:14 Free kick awarded for a foul by Steve Jones on Therry Racon. Johnnie Jackson takes the free kick.
62:28 Foul by Alex Nicholls on Jonathan Fortune, free kick awarded. Rob Elliot takes the free kick.
58:52 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Steve Jones by Kyel Reid. Free kick taken by Oliver Lancashire.
57:40 The referee gives a free kick against Andy Butler for handball. Shot on goal comes in from Johnnie Jackson from the free kick. Kyel Reid takes a shot. Oliver Lancashire gets a block in.
57:40 Booking Andy Butler booked.
57:06 William Grigg has a headed effort from close in and clears the bar.
55:38 Alex Nicholls concedes a free kick for a foul on Jonathan Fortune. Rob Elliot takes the direct free kick.
54:14 Lee Martin has a headed effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the goal.
51:54 Therry Racon is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Matthew Richards takes the free kick.
50:53 Free kick awarded for a foul by Steve Jones on Kyel Reid. Jonathan Fortune restarts play with the free kick.
49:17 The offside flag is raised against Paul Benson. Jon Brain takes the free kick.
48:40 Foul by Alex Nicholls on Jose Vitor Semedo, free kick awarded. Rob Elliot restarts play with the free kick.
47:41 Free kick awarded for a foul by Paul Benson on Darryl Westlake. Darryl Westlake restarts play with the free kick.
46:20 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Julian Gray from the right by-line, save by Rob Elliot.
45:56 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on William Grigg by Jose Vitor Semedo. Andy Butler restarts play with the free kick.
45:01 The second half kicks off.
45:01 Substitution Matt Fry goes off and Kyel Reid comes on.
45:01 Substitution Joe Anyinsah leaves the field to be replaced by Lee Martin.
Half Time
45:00+1:03 The players leave the pitch at half time.
43:58 Foul by Gary Doherty on Andy Butler, free kick awarded. Jon Brain takes the direct free kick.
43:11 Andy Butler challenges Joe Anyinsah unfairly and gives away a free kick. Simon Francis takes the free kick.
42:20 Short corner worked by Julian Gray.
41:44 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Oliver Lancashire by Joe Anyinsah. Aaron Lescott takes the direct free kick.
38:31 Joe Anyinsah is ruled offside. Oliver Lancashire takes the free kick.
32:54 Andy Butler concedes a free kick for a foul on Paul Benson. Johnnie Jackson restarts play with the free kick.
31:37 Andy Butler fouled by Joe Anyinsah, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Matthew Richards.
30:43 Corner taken by Julian Gray, Matt Fry manages to make a clearance.
29:20 Effort from the edge of the box by Simon Francis goes wide of the right-hand upright.
25:22 Inswinging corner taken by Julian Gray from the right by-line played to the near post, Simon Francis manages to make a clearance.
24:50 Unfair challenge on Paul Benson by Andy Butler results in a free kick. Simon Francis takes the free kick.
24:21 Shot from just outside the area by Richard Taundry goes over the bar.
23:36 Joe Anyinsah is ruled offside. Jon Brain takes the indirect free kick.
22:30 The official flags Paul Benson offside. Indirect free kick taken by Jon Brain.
20:57 Johnnie Jackson has a shot on goal from outside the box which misses left.
20:26 Shot from outside the area by Alex Nicholls misses to the left of the target.
18:39 Richard Taundry produces a left-footed shot from close range which goes wide of the left-hand post.
14:46 Right-footed shot by Richard Taundry missed to the left of the target.
10:07 Effort from deep inside the area by Julian Gray clears the bar.
8:57 Julian Gray takes a short corner.
8:08 Richard Taundry fouled by Jose Vitor Semedo, the ref awards a free kick. Strike comes in from Matthew Richards from the free kick.
5:36 Therry Racon takes a shot. Save made by Jon Brain.
4:08 Alex Nicholls produces a right-footed shot from inside the area that clears the bar.
3:07 Outswinging corner taken by Julian Gray.
1:45 Scott Wagstaff has an effort at goal from the edge of the area that misses to the right of the target.
0:00 The referee gets the game started.
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