Stockport County 1-2 Walsall: Saddlers set up FA Cup fourth round tie against Leicester City

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Walsall knock out Stockport with 95th-minute penalty

Andy Williams scored a 95th-minute penalty against Stockport County to earn Walsall an FA Cup fourth-round tie at home to Leicester City.

Paddy Madden's precise strike looked to have earned the hosts a replay two minutes from the end of normal time.

Madden then conceded a spot-kick for a foul on Liam Kinsella, allowing Williams to fire in the winner.

Danny Johnson's fierce second-half shot went through Ben Hinchliffe's gloves as Walsall struck first in a tight tie.

The forward's effort provided relief for his side, who had been denied by the offside flag when Liam Gordon rolled the ball beyond Hinchliffe after the break.

Hinchliffe and opposite number Owen Evans produced several saves before Johnson struck.

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'Wonderful moment' as Madden scores equaliser

Hinchliffe denied Douglas James-Taylor's stabbed effort from close range early on and turned Isaac Hutchinson's drive around a post.

Antoni Sarcevic saw a dangerous shot blocked for Stockport before the break, and debutant Isaac Olaofe then went close with a header from Chris Hussey's inviting cross.

Walsall were convinced they deserved an earlier penalty in this meeting between League Two sides when Tom Knowles tangled with Hussey inside the home penalty area shortly before half-time.

Evans then denied Kyle Wootton a third goal against Walsall in 10 days with an impressive reaction stop to thwart the striker during the second half.

Hinchliffe also thwarted a Williams header with an expert stop in a frantic finish before Walsall's pressure paid off deep into added time.

Stockport manager Dave Challinor told BBC Radio Manchester:

"If we'd got a replay, would we have deserved it? I don't think there was much in the game but, on balance, they'd have been aggrieved if they'd not won.

"Saying that, once we got the equaliser, we were of a mindset that we could go on and win the game - not throw it away in the manner we did. It's a massive missed opportunity, without question.

"That makes it even more disappointing not to have put in a performance good enough to ensure we're in the fourth round and give ourselves a chance of a plum tie or progressing in the competition."

Walsall manager Michael Flynn told BBC Radio WM:

"It was a fantastic game. Stockport are a very good team. I'm over the moon with the draw for the players, the supporters and everybody connected with the club. It's a good day.

"Andy's cool, calm and collected. He's been there, seen it, and done it. That goal alone has paid for more than double his contract for the whole year.

"I said at half-time that we were going to score a few in front of our supporters today. Danny Johnson's hit it like an arrow, it was one hell of a strike. He's caught it as sweetly as a nut - he couldn't have hit it any better.

"This might give us a bit more money to get certain things over the line. The chairman won't thank me for that but he knows I mean it in good spirit."

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