Walsall is the hottest promotion team in the second division this year.
New manager Chris Nicholl led the club to promotion back to the third tier in his first season, building the nucleus of a strong and underrated team. A run of four straight wins before the end of January proved that City would be facing a tough team this time.
Thankfully, Richard's threat seemed to have worked. Or perhaps it was Richard's promise to bring in players O'Neill had been eyeing after the match—either way, O'Neill wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by.
From the time the referee blew the kick-off whistle, the game fell completely into City's rhythm.
Ronaldo, in the fourth minute of the game, zigzagged past the left-back from the left to the center and swiftly moved into the penalty area. After receiving a pass from Keith Gillespie, he used his left foot to send the ball into the opposite corner of the goal.
His goals soon came one after another.
