Town moved to 14th in Division One with a 3-2 win over Walsall which in truth ought to have been far more comfortable. Pablo Couñago scored on the stroke of half-time before Thomas Gaardsøe again netted in the second half and Darren Wrack got one back for the Saddlers. Couñago's second seemed to have settled it until the Walsall man's second late on.

The Blues lined-up as at Leicester but with Marcus Bent dropping to the bench and Richard Naylor starting up front. Andy Marshall was included despite his leg injury but appeared reluctant to kick throughout the afternoon.

There were early scares for Town as Matt Holland did well to block an Ian Roper shot after Jamie Clapham dithered inside the penalty area. A minute later Andy Marshall almost played the ball straight to Jorge Leitao on the edge of the Town area but he managed to poke the ball to Holland before the striker could get to it.

Town's first early effort saw Thomas Gaardsøe try to add to his recent goal tally with a shot from 30 yards which went over Gavin Ward's bar.

On nine Hermann Hreidarsson won a corner on the left and headed Jim Magilton's kick over the bar when Gaardsøe behind him might have been better placed to direct a header goalwards.

A minute later Fitzroy Simpson's freekick on the Walsall left flashed across the Town box, evading numerous players of both teams.

Town's best chance so far fell to Pablo Couñago from a Fabian Wilnis cross. The Dutchman sent in a ball to the near post which Couñago headed just wide when he should at least have hit the target.

Couñago was causing a few problems for Ian Roper and the rest of the Walsall defenders. On 20 he won a freekick about five yards outside the area which Jamie Clapham sent not far wide of Ward's post.

Referee Paul Taylor seemed to be enjoying blowing his whistle and showing his cards, Steve Corica and Jorge Leitao picking up cards, the latter's particularly harsh after he had kept playing after the whistle had gone.

Just before the half hour fine work from Fabian Wilnis and Richard Naylor on the right played Tommy Miller in a tight position. His shot was squeezed out for a corner and after the kick was cleared Jamie Clapham hit a low effort which fizzed just past the post.

Couñago went close a minute or so later when he ran onto a Magilton ball, turned a defender and hit a shot which only just went over the bar. Town were not at their most fluent against a somewhat physical opposition but chances were being created.

There was controversy on 32 when Couñago went in late on Roper who reacted by appearing to strike the Spaniard in the face. Referee Taylor split the two apart and rightly showed Couñago a yellow card. Given the referee's earlier harshness with his cards Roper might have been worried about which colour he was going to be shown, however, somewhat surprisingly, none was issued.

A minute later Chris Makin received another harsh yellow card after a comical piece of theatrics by Gareth Ainsworth, booed throughout the rest of the game by the Town faithful.

With seven minutes of the half remaining a looping Wilnis cross caused havoc in the Walsall area as Hreidarsson challenged Ward. The ball dropped with the keeper on the floor but as so often in these circumstances a freekick was awarded to the defending team.

After Clapham had hit a shot over, Couñago was sent away by Magilton, however Darren Bazeley came across to dispossess him as he ran into the area.

With a minute of the half left Town were awarded an indirect freekick about six yards out after Gavin Ward had caught a pass-back from Zigor Aranalde as he cut out a deep Chris Makin cross from the left. Matt Holland laid the ball back to Tommy Miller whose shot was blocked. Fabian Wilnis screwed his rebound wide and the chance was gone.

Just as it was looking like the half would end goalless, Jim Magilton took the ball on down the right. Richard Naylor made a move outside him, receiving the ball and sending in a cross which Ward fumbled to Couñago who, as usual at home, stabbed in from a matter of inches.

Moments later the whistle went to applause and the goal seemed to give Town confidence as the second period began, Richard Naylor having an excellent chance to increase the lead in the first minute, heading Magilton's chipped cross into Ward's arms.

On 48 referee Taylor again annoyed Town supporters when Couñago was pulled back by Bazeley as he escaped him on the left. Somehow Mr Taylor saw the offence the other way and gave Walsall a freekick.

Walsall had a more attacking look about them in the second half and enjoyed a fair amount of early possession, but it was Town who were looking the more likely to score, Magilton scooping over a low Couñago cross from the right.

Jermaine Wright replaced Tommy Miller in the 52nd minute, the former Hartlepool man having taken a knock to his leg in a challenge a few minutes earlier. Six minutes later Richard Naylor made way for Marcus Bent.

A minute before the hour Thomas Gaardsøe rose above everyone at the far post to nod home his third goal in three games, and his fourth of the season, from Jim Magilton's left wing corner.

The game now seemed settled and a third was looking on the cards, particularly when Jamie Clapham cut in after a short corner by Magilton, the Town number three's shot saved well by Ward. The ball cannoned out, perhaps onto Simpson's hand but Town appeals were waved away by referee Taylor.

Jim Magilton will wonder how his 65th minute effort was stopped by Ward from a matter of feet after Couñago had held the ball up on the edge of the six-yard box and played the ball to the Northern Irishman running in to his right.

A minute later former Town midfielder Danny Sonner made his entrance as a substitute and received a less than enthusiastic welcome from his old fans.

Town were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal on 67 when Leitao broke down the left and crossed low for the unmarked Darren Wrack who beat Marshall to put Walsall back in the game.

On 69 Marcus Bent was needlessly booked by the over fussy referee for encroaching at a freekick.

With 12 minutes left on the clock, and with chances coming at both ends, Marcus Bent put a cross from Magilton over the bar when he should have hit the target. At the other end Andy Marshall made a terrific save from Wrack, punching his 20-yard volley over the bar.

On 82 Gavin Ward miskicked a clearance straight to Couñago whose snapshot was charged down by the keeper with Bent in attendance. Somewhere the linesman saw an offence and Walsall were awarded a freekick.

However, with six minutes left, a third Town goal came. Fabian Wilnis on the right played the ball to Clapham who passed to Couñago inside the area with his back to goal. The Spaniard turned his man before hitting a low right-foot shot across Ward and into the net for his 13th goal of the season, all of them at home.

Again the game should have been dead and buried but as so often recently another bad goal was given away, Bazeley crossing from the right, Marshall failing to hold on and Wrack finishing from close-in for the second time during the game.

There was one final scare for Town as the game drew to a close, a Bazeley cross flashing across the area before going out for a goalkick.

Three more points for Town and two more goals for Pablo while Thomas Gaardsøe continues to be the man of the moment. Matt Holland again impressed in the defence while Jim Magilton was at the heart of everything the Blues created.

Two more bad goals conceded and once more a mass of chances not taken, but three points and two more places up the table. Town are still eight points off the play-off places but with a number of sides above dropping points today.

Millwall on Wednesday and the chance to leap another couple of places and continue the resurgent run.

Town: Marshall, Wilnis, Hreidarsson, Holland, Makin, Gaardsøe, Clapham, Magilton, T Miller (Wright 52), Naylor (M Bent 58), Couñago.

Photo: Action Images

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