THE SADDLERS worked hard to bring home a good point from our long trip to Brighton.

The loyal travelling contingent were doing their best to create some atmosphere inside a stadium more suited to athletics than football as the match got underway.

The first chance fell to the home side on ten minutes when the experienced Nicky Forster dragged an effort well wide of the target.

At the other end, Tommy Mooney used his strength to good effect to get in a cross from the by-line which Brighton managed to clear as Michael Ricketts and Edrissa Sonko waited in the middle.

Moments later, Mooney curled an effort into the grateful arms of Kuipers in the home goal.

Real goalscoring chances were few and far between as the half progressed with both defences to stubborn mood. Bas Savage did manage to find space to get in a header which was well claimed by Clayton Ince on 20 minutes.

The home side edged in front 11 minutes from the break when a ball in from the left was swept home by Jake Robinson at the far post as he reacted quickest to beat Ince.

Right on the stroke of half-time, a free-kick was pumped forward into The Seagulls' box as Mooney could only drag his effort wide. At the same time Ricketts got involved in a bit of pushing and shoving which caused a brief melee before the Walsall front-man was shown a card to match the colour of his shirt.

There was a change at half-time as Rhys Weston was forced out of the action to be replaced by youngster, Manny Smith.

On 53 minutes Forster put Ince under pressure as he cleared but The Saddlers managed to clear any danger from the loose ball.

There was a second change for Richard Money's men as Ishmel Demontagnac replaced Sonko.

Brighton missed a good chance to extend their lead when Forster's low ball across the face of goal was only half-cleared by Ince and it presented David Martot with a shooting chance from a decent position that he put wide.

After Dean Hammond saw a low shot drilled just wide, Robinson hit a shot on the turn that Ince was equal to as he got down low to make the save.

The Saddlers were back on level terms on 78 minutes when substitute Demontagnac went on a positive run before cutting inside and arrowing a sweet strike perfectly into the top corner to give Kuipers no chance.

The goal came something out of the blue but was met with delight by the 124 travelling supporters who found themselves situated well away from the pitch.

Another effort from distance by Demontagnac was this time pushed out by Kuipers with just nine minutes left on the clock as The Saddlers believed that they could actually win the game.

However, Ince had to be alert to clear the danger as he raced a long way out of his area on the rare occasion that the central defensive partnership of Anthony Gerrard and Scott Dann was breatched.

The game ended with Gerrard booked for time-wasting as Walsall brought home a useful point from an in-form Brighton side.