19th August 2000
19th August 2000 Oldham unfortunately were caught in Slumberland by Walsall and only had themselves to blame. For the outcome. It could have been a different result as the Latics fought back after conceding an early goal to Byfield not only to equalise but deservedly take the lead. Ritchie had expressed his satisfaction with the way the Latics have played in this period and in particular the way Neil Adams cheekily equalised direct from a free kick with Walsall’s goal Keeper James Walker caught napping at the wrong side of his goal. It then appeared as if Oldham would storm to another win when skipper Lee Duxbury took advantage of some ragged Walsall defensive work to give his side the lead. But in the second half Oldham lost their way and were never again able to stamp their authority on the match as Walsall worked their way back into contention. Effectively Oldham, who will have to tighten up the centre of their defence, were beaten by a smart tactical ploy engineered by Walsall manager Ray Graydon. He made a subtle double substitution when he sent on Darren Wrack and Gorge Leitao.
Wrack was the motivator as he quickly equalised heading home from close range as he was completely unmarked by Oldham’s defence. The elusive Wrack again popped up to torment Oldham’s defence with a quick pass across the face of the goal where he found the eager Byfield available to notch a dramatic winner two minutes from time. It was a shock to the system for Oldham but they should have put the game out of Walsall’s reach well before the Saddler's late revival. Carlo Corazzin had his opportunities against a Walsall defence which was not always secure. But the bulky Oldham striker failed miserably to take full advantage and as a result Oldham slipped to a late defeat.
Playing to the heart of Oldham's defence, the Saddlers looked very dangerous and Mark Hotte in particular found the youthful Byfield a lively opponent. Oldham appeared to have weathered the early storm, but Walsall's persistence could not be denied. In the ninth minute Gabor Bukran had a powerful drive blocked. The ball ran loose to the left where Paul Hall floated a cross to the far post and the alert Byfield was on hand to slot in his first-ever goal for the Saddlers. Byfield's goal was a reward for a midfield performance which persuaded manager Ray Graydon to include the former Aston Villa youngster instead of the Portuguese striker Leitao. The well-built Oldham side then fought back and forced Walsall on to the rearguard.
But the 39th-minute equaliser certainly came out of the blue, with Walsall's goalkeeper James Walker at fault as he was easily beaten by Neil Adams' free-kick from 25 yards. Before Walsall's defence could regroup they found themselves in deeper trouble, when their misery was compounded as Oldham went ahead for the first time in the game. Yet again it was some woeful defensive work which allowed Oldham to take the lead. A loose ball in Walsall's defence was not cleared by either Ian Roper or Andy Tillson and Oldham's skipper, Lee Duxbury, slipped through to glide his shot past Walker. It was a lead Oldham fully deserved for their persistent play after coming back strongly following the shock of conceding an early goal.
Duxbury, Adams and Carlo Corazzin were key players for Oldham, but the battling Saddlers grabbed a 75th-minute equaliser following an inspired double substitution. Both players, Leitao and Wrack, were involved. Leitao nudged on Hall's cross and Wrack was on hand to head in the equaliser. Wrack popped up again to lay on the winner for Byfield three minutes from time with Oldham's defence again all at sea.