Walsall suffered a heavy defeat when they played their league game at Nottingham at the end of last season. They returned to the ground last Saturday to play their first game of the new season. The team, now under the captaincy of Rob Angell, produced a near match winning performance. It would have been a deserved victory. The Walsall team had a three points advantage as they threw into the lineout for the final play of the game. They secured possession, and only needed to put the ball out of play. But incredibly, the hosts managed to wrestle the ball and launched a final attack. Once again, the Walsall defence was strong. But they conceded a penalty which Gunn converted from thirty yards to level the scores as the referee blew the final whistle.
The hosts had opened the scoring after fifteen minutes with centre Heath touching down after a strong lineout drive. Gunn added the conversion. However, the visitors soon hit back with Walsall producing some promising attacks. Although they couldn’t break through a determined Bridgford defence. They were being awarded penalties and in centre Adam Nunney they had a kicker who would take advantage of any misdemeanours. He soon put over the first of six penalties that he would convert during the afternoon. The solitary Walsall try came late in the half. A Ben Pitt kick was chased and gathered by Hansen Christofferson before diving over the try line. Unfortunately, the visitors were guilty of conceding an unnecessary penalty at the restart which gave the hosts an easy penalty goal.
The second half saw the hosts score first with an Alex Smit converted try. The Walsall team continued to defend well and should have added to their try tally, but passes were not delivered, or possession was kicked away in good attacking positions. The hosts added another penalty. But two Nunney penalty kicks seemed to have given the Walsall team a well-earned victory. But the final minute drama would ensure that the spoils were shared.